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Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

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http://www.archive.org/details/starryuniversechOOstan 


THE  STARRY  UNIVERSE 


THE  CHRISTIAN'S^^t^J!*^^ 
FUTURE   EMPIRE*    oct  5  1909 


THE  SCRIPTURAL  INDICATIONS  THAT  GOD'S  CHIL? 
DREN  ARE  TO  INHERIT  ALL  HIS  ILLIMITABLE 
KINGDOMS;  FROM  HEAVEN  AS  A  METROPOLIS,  EX- 
PLORING AND  ENJOYING  THEM  AT  WILL. 


^G/CAL  S£U\ 


BY 


HORACE   C.   STANTON,   Ph.D.,   D.D.,   S.T.D. 


New  York    Chicago    Toronto 

Fleming    H.    Revell    Company 

London    and    Edinburgh 


Copyright,  1909,  by 
HORACE   C.   STANTON. 


DEDICATION 

TO  MY  FATHER,  PROFESSOR  BENJAMIN  STAN- 
TON, FOR  MANY  YEARS  IDENTIFIED  WITH  THE 
ACADEMIC  AND  COLLEGIATE  EDUCATIONAL 
SYSTEM  OF  SCHENECTADY,  N.  Y.  I  TO  MY 
MOTHER,    MY  SISTER   KATE,   AND    MY   BROTHER 

IRVING ALL   OF   WHOM    HAVE    NOW   ENTERED 

THE  UNSEEN   HOLY,   THIS   BOOK  IS   DEDICATED 
IN   LOVING    REMEMBRANCE   BY 

THE  AUTHOR 


ill 


OUTLINE 


PART  FIRST.     (CHAPS.  I.-IV.) 

SOME  AESTHETIC  AND  SOCIAL  FEATURES  OF  THH 
BELIEVER'S  COMING  EXISTENCE,  AS  PICTURED  IN 
THE  CITY  OF  GOD. 


PART  SECOND.     (CHAPS.  V.-XIII.) 

THE  ENTIRE  UNIVERSE  THE  CHRISTIAN'S  FU- 
TURE EMPIRE.  OR,  TRANSCENDENT  PHYSICAL 
POWERS,  PRIVILEGES,  AND  POSSIBILITIES  OF  THH 
COMING  LIFE. 


\W 


TABLE  OF   CONTENTS 


PART   FIRST 


SOME  AESTHETIC  AND  SOCIAL  FEATURES  OF  THE 
BELIEVER'S  COMING  EXISTENCE,  AS  IT  IS  PICTURED 
IN  THE  CITY  OF  GOD. 


PAGE 

INTRODUCTION    xix 

CHAPTER 

I.     WHAT     THE     BIBLE     SUGGESTS     ABOUT 

THE  BEAUTY  OF  HEAVEN 1 

The  True,  the  Good,  the  Beautiful.  Love  of 
Beauty  Natural.  Universal.  May  be  Culti- 
vated. Christ's  Physical  Body  Proves  a  Local 
Heaven.  Negative  Arguments  that  Heaven  is 
Beautiful.  No  Night,  Death,  Sin.  Positive 
Arguments.  Heaven  Beautiful  in  Landscape, 
Sea,  Sky,  Fountains,  Fruit.  Palace  of 
God.  Michael  Angelo's  Adornment  of  his 
Home.  Beauty  of  Angelic  Manifestations. 
Beauty  of  Glorified  Human  Body.  Physique 
of  Jesus  Perfect.  Ariadne.  Beauty  of  Immor- 
tals not  Inferior  to  that  of  Mortals.  Beauty 
of  the  Glorified  Jesus.  Beauty  of  Spirit. 
Leonidas.  Beauty  of  Music.  Wm.  Beckford. 
Stimulus  to  Cultivate  Beauty.  Beauty  of 
Heaven  Inexhaustible.  Guido's  Aurora. 
Beauty  of  Heaven  Indescribable. 

vii 


▼ill  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

II.     IN  THE  FUTURE  STATE  WILL  THERE  BE 

DIFFERENT    DEGREES   OF    GLORY? 21 

Innumerable  Differences  in  our  Condition 
Here.  Glory  According  to  Merit  not  Incon- 
sistent with  Salvation  by  Grace.  Arguments. 
From  Analogy  of  Universe.  Value  of  a  Life 
Dependent  on  Number  of  its  Elements.  Differ- 
ences in  Opportunities.  Divine  Will  Sovereign. 
Different  Degrees  of  Punishment.  Different 
Measures  of  Service.  Members  of  Christ's 
Body  have  Different  Offices.  Ancient  Belief  in 
Differences  of  Condition  after  Death.  Moses 
and  Elijah.  Twelve  Patriarchs.  Twelve  Apos- 
tles. Celestial  Beings  Represented  as  Having 
Different  Ranks.  To  Different  Degrees  of 
Piety  are  Promised  Different  Degrees  of 
Honour.  Fidelity  Tends  to  enhance  Powers 
and  Possibilities.  Early  Death,  Culpable  or 
Meritorious?     Transfiguration,  by  Raphael. 

III.  WHEN  WE  REACH  THE  OTHER  WORLD, 
SHALL  WE  KNOW  ONE  ANOTHER 
THERE?    46 

Natural  Desire  for  Acquaintance  in  the  Fu- 
ture Life.  Everything  Indicates  such  Ac- 
quaintance. Heaven  Described  by  Figures  Im- 
plying Communion.  God  Social,  hot  Solitary. 
Heaven  Likened  to  a  Feast.  Distinct  Biblical 
Statement  that  Different  Saints  shall  be 
Recognized.  Recognition  Indicated  by  Inci- 
dents in  Holy  Writ.  Dives  and  Lazarus,  Re- 
appearance of  Samuel.  Moses  and  Elijah  at 
Christ's  Transfiguration.  Argument  from 
Preservation  of  Personal  Identity.  Otherwise 
could  be  no  Just  Rewards  or  Punishments. 
Persons  Raised  from  Dead  Retain  Identity. 
Angels  have  Distinctive  Names.  Fallen 
Angels  Know  One  Another.  Good  Angels 
Know  One  Another.  At  Judgment  Day  Saints 
Acknowledged  and  Confessed  before  the  An- 
gels.   Jesus  was  Recognized  after  His  Return 


CONTENTS  Ix 

iHAPTEB  PAOK 

to  Heaven.  Recognitions  perliaps  Intuitive. 
When  Angels  came  to  Men,  they  often  Used 
Names  of  those  Men.  Public  Recognition  and 
Presentation  of  Each  Saint. 

IV.  IMMORTALITY  OP  LOVE;  AND  THE  CON- 
TINUATION OF  CHRISTIAN  FRIEND- 
SHIPS IN  THE  COMING  LIFE    6S 

One  Fundamental  Idea  of  Heaven  is  that  of 
Eternal  Friendship.  The  Naturalness  of  Love. 
Many  Types  of  Love  Necessary  to  Develop 
the  Soul.  Love  Refines,  Gives  Pleasure.  Is 
the  Strongest  of  All  Motives.  Damon  and 
Pythias.  Love  Gives  the  Highest  Inspiration. 
Jacob  and  Rachel.  Love  for  God  has  Eternal 
Power.  Unholiness  not  Favourable  to  Love. 
True  Love  Must  be  Immortal.  Saints  Happy 
though  Some  Loved  Ones  are  Lost.  Reasons 
for  Last  two  Propositions. 

Love  between  Parent  and  Child  Immortal. 
Monica  and  Augustine.  Cicero  and  his  Daugh- 
ter. Jesus  and  His  Mother.  Beecher  and  his 
Children.  Fraternal  Love  Immortal.  The  Pa- 
triarchs. Two  Pairs  of  Brothers  among  the 
Apostles.  Jesus  and  His  Brothers.  Love  of 
Friend  for  Friend  Immortal.  Friendships 
among  O.  T.  Saints.  Among  N.  T.  Saints. 
Between  Jesus  and  Some  of  Disciples.  Con- 
jugal Love  Immortal.  Dying  Jacob  Thinks 
of  Rachel.  Conjugal  Love  Continues  in  Other 
World.  Belief  of  Bunsen,  Browning,  Jonathan 
Edwards.  The  Life  of  Heaven  is  that  of  an 
Infinite  Family.  All  Other  Loves  Subordinate 
to  That  for  Christ.  Mutual  Love  of  Saints  to 
be  Remotely  Like  That  of  the  Sacred  Three. 


CONTENTS 


PART  SECOND 


ENTIRE  UNIVERSE  THE  CHRISTIAN'S  FUTURE  EM- 
PIRE. OR,  TRANSCENDENT  PHYSICAL  POWERS, 
PRIVILEGES,  AND  POSSIBILITIES  OF  THE  COMING 
LIFE    


CHAPTER  PAGE 

V.  THE  SCENE  OP  OUR  FUTURE  EXIST- 
ENCE CANNOT  BE  RESTRICTED  TO 
THE  CITY   OF  GOD 94 

Argument  of  Lucretius  to  Prove  Space  Infi- 
nite. The  Universe  Extends  as  Far  as  Human 
Ken.  The  Existence  of  a  Local  Heaven  Un- 
questionably Taught  in  Scripture.  Idea  of 
Confinement  in  this  Unsatisfactory.  The  Fu- 
ture Life  not  One  of  Eternal  Restriction.  Fu- 
ture Life  Does  not  End  in  Heaven,  but  Only 
Begins. 

Some  reasons  why  wc  must  desire  to  range 
through  the  Universe,  a.  Man's  Aesthetic  In- 
stincts. Desire  to  See  Beauty  in  the  Vege- 
table Kingdom.  In  the  Animal  Kingdom.  Also 
Beauty  of  Inorganic  Nature.  Desire  for 
Beauty  must  Increase  in  the  Other  "World, 
b.  Thirst  for  Knowledge  of  Scientific  Sort,  a 
Reason  for  Desiring  to  Explore  the  Universe. 
Desire  to  Investigate  Animated  Nature 
throughout  the  Cosmos,  Inevitable;  because 
that  Nature  Proves  Infinite  Wisdom,  Infinite 
Will.  Nature  Exhibits  Infinite  Love.  Nature 
Proves  Existence  of  the  Three  Elements  of  a 
Divine  Personality. 

Problem  of  the  Universe  Grows  more  and 
more  Profound.  Paulsen's  View.  Are  Other 
Worlds  Inhabited?  God's  Works  are  Commen- 
taries on  His  Word.  Analogy  Indicates  Other 
Worlds  are  as  Wonderful  as   Ours.     Size  of 


CONTENTS  xl 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

the  Sun  as  Compared  with  that  of  the  Earth. 
c.  We  Desire  to  Study  Other  Worlds  that  we 
may  Better  Understand  Deity.  Universe  to  be 
Understood,  not  Altogether  by  Revelation,  but 
by  Study.  Impossible  to  fully  Learn  it  from 
Any  One  Standpoint.  About  Physical  Range 
of  Future  Life,  Scripture  is  our  Highest 
Authority. 

VI.  THE  FUTURE  LIFE  IMPLIES  BOTH  A 
STATE  OF  BLESSEDNESS,  AND  AM- 
PLEST PHYSICAL  RANGE  FOR  THE 
BLESSED.  ANGELIC  BEINGS  HAVE  THE 
POWER  OF  CELESTIAL  FLIGHT 118 

Heaven  Both  a  State  and  a  Place.  Other 
Things  Being  Equal,  Spirituality  is  Condi- 
tioned upon  Knowledge.  The  Local  Paradise 
Cannot  be  on  this  Globe.  Saints  Shall  Also 
Enjoy  Infinity  of  Space.  The  Heavenly  City 
is  the  Capital  of  a  Country — The  Cosmos. 
Question  of  the  Exact  Location  of  Heaven  Un- 
important. 

But  Heaven  is  very  Far  Distant.  Biblical 
References  to  Heaven  Prove  its  Distance  is 
Great.  Such  Distance  Indicated  by  N.  T.  Par- 
ables and  Visions.  Sphere  on  which  Heaven 
is  Located  may  be  in  Sight  of  Earth.  Angelic 
Beings  have  Power  of  Celestial  Flight.  Angels 
Represented  as  Winged.  The  Cherubim.  The 
Seraphim  and  the  Cherubim.  Gabriel.  Vari- 
ous Angels  Coming  Down  from  Heaven. 
They  Come  and  Go  in  a  Multitude.  They  can 
Move  Everywhither. 

VII.     GLORIFIED    SAINTS    HAVE    THE   POWER 

OF    CELESTIAL    FLIGHT 142 

Enoch's  Translation.  Samuel's  Return  to 
Earth.  Many  Saints  Have  Thrice  traversed 
the  Distance  between  Earth  and  Heaven. 
Jesus  has  Seven  Times  traversed  it.  Glorified 
Man  Possesses  the  Power  of  Celestial  Flight. 
Three  Stages  in  the  Development  of  Man,    1. 


Ill  CONTENTS 

Soul  and  Body  United.  2.  Soul  Separated 
from  the  Body.  3.  Soul  in  its  Glorified  Body. 
In  Two  Latter  States  of  Being,  the  Saint  Cam 
Traverse  Space.  O.  T.  Saints  who  Three 
Times  Crossed  the  Distance  between  Earth 
and  Heaven,  perhaps  Designed  to  be  Repre- 
sentative Persons.  So  N.  T.  Saints  who 
Three  Times  Cross  Same  Distance.  Power  of 
Celestial  Flight  to  be  Bestowed  upon  All 
Saints.  About  Glorified  body.  Nothing  More 
Certainly  Revealed  than  that  It  has  Tran- 
scendent Powers  of  Motion. 

Objections  answered.  Study  of  Glorified 
Body  Continued.  1.  Its  Senses.  2.  May  Pos- 
sess in  Other  Respects  Powers  Superior  to  Its 
Present  Ones.  3.  Exercise  of  these  Supernal 
Faculties  Never  Interrupted  through  Adverse 
Physical  Conditions.  Insensibility  of  Celestial 
Beings  to  Cold.  Their  Insensibility  to  Heat. 
4.  Christ's  Body  after  Resurrection  had  En- 
dowments not  Exhibited  Before.  Could  Ap- 
pear and  Disappear  at  Pleasure.  Had  Power 
of  Unobstructed  Flight.  Great  Celerity  of  Mo- 
tion Possessed  by  the  Celestials.  Some 
Things  in  the  Bible  which  Plainly  Reveal  the 
Powers  of  Rapid  Flight  of  These  Higher 
Beings.  Walking  not  more  Natural  to  Us, 
than  Flying  is  for  Them.  Many  Wings  of  the 
Celestials,  Significance  of.  Saints  have  not 
Wings,  but  Live  a  Winged  Life. 

Some  Biblical  Incidents  Suggesting  Celerity 
of  Celestial  Flight.  Other  Similar  Instances. 
Samuel.  Celerity  of  Flight  of  Celestials  Indi- 
cated by  Occurrences  at  the  Resurrection. 
Such  Celerity,  How  Possible?  Rapidity  of 
Celestial  Flight  accordant  with  General  Prin- 
ciples of  Scripture.  Velocity  of  Celestial 
Flight  Indicated  by  Striking  Biblical  Expres- 
sions. No  Stronger  Language  then  Readily 
Possible  than  is  Used  to  Designate  Rapidity 
of  Motion  of  the  Celestials.  Doctrine  that  the 
Glorified  Soul  has  the  Power  of  Celestial 
Flight,  whether  With  or  Without  its  Body;  as 
Scriptural  as  the  Doctrine  ol  Resurrection  or 


CONTENTS  xiii 

CHAPTEB  PAGE 

of  Immortality.  This  Celestial  Flight  is 
Going  ou  Forever.  Possibility  of  Visiting 
Some  Other  Worlds  is  Certain.  Bnt  Celestial 
Flight  is  Possible  in  All  Directions,  and  to 
Any  Distance.  Resurrection  Body  Incapable 
of  Injury.  Ruskin's  Description  of  Far-Rang- 
ing Flight.  That  Saints  Will  Possess  Power 
of  Flight  to  All  Worlds,  is  Unquestionable. 

VIII.  GLORIFIED  SAINTS  HAVE  THE  PRIVI- 
LEGE OF  CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.  VARI- 
OUS ARGUMENTS    190 

Jesus  does  not  Remain  in  Heaven  All  the 
Time.  Various  Saints  have  Left  Heaven. 
Angels  can  Leave  Heaven  Now.  Paradise  is 
not  a  Prison.  The  Gates  of  Heaven  Swing 
Both  Ways.  With  the  Saint's  Prospective 
Power  of  Flight,  Must  Go  the  Privilege  of 
Using  It.  Man's  Strong  Desire  to  Explore  the 
Cosmos,  Implies  This.  Eagles  in  the  Canyon 
of  the  Yellowstone. 

IX.  THAT  GLORIFIED  SAINTS  WILL  POS- 
SESS AND  ENJOY  THE  ENTIRE  COS- 
MOS, IS  PROVED  BY  WHAT  THE  BIBLE 
TEACHES  ABOUT  GOD  THE  FATHER, 
AND    OUR   RELATIONS    TO    HIM 202 

I.  The  Father's  General  Spirit  Toward  Us. 
Sacrifice  of  His  Son  Represented  the  Highest 
Possible  Love.  1.  Father  Plainly  Declares 
His  Purpose  to  Give  the  Cosmos  for  Our  Pos- 
session. 2.  Teaches  Same  Idea  by  Parable. 
II.  His  Spirit  Must  Fructify  in  Act.  1.  With 
Spiritual  Blessings,  ai'e  Promised  Material 
Ones  Also.  With  Spiritual  Blessings,  He  Gives 
a  Share  of  His  Kingdom.  2.  His  Abode  is 
The  Universe.  Ours  to  be  Co-terminous  with 
His.  The  "Many  Mansions"  are  The  Cosmos. 
Exegesis  of  Prof.  Purves.  3.  Our  Instruc- 
tion in  the  Heavenly  Mansions  Must  Cover 
God's  Works.  Invisible  Things  of  God  Intelli- 
gible only  by  Study  of  the   Universe.     If  We 


xiv  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAOB 

can  Know  but  one  World,  Heavens  Declare 
Less  Than  One  Hundred-Millionth  of  his 
Glory.  A  British  Museum  Forever  Closed.  A 
Bible  from  Which  we  Can  Read  but  1-2 
Verses.  As  Much  as  We  are  Now  to  Search 
the  Scriptures,  We  are  Then  to  Search  Stars 
and  Suns.  4.  Our  Future  Enjoyment  is  to  In- 
clude All  Things.  5.  In  Future  Glorification 
Each  Saint  shall  Shine  "as  the  sun" — which 
Apparently  and  Actually  Sweeps  Through 
Space.  6.  The  Saints'  Final  Inheritance  of  the 
Entire  Kingdom  of  God.  a.  Includes  the  Cos- 
mos, b.  Involves  Passage  of  Title  to  Us.  c. 
All  Things  Made  New,  and  Christian  Inherits 
These  Things.  Our  Relation  to  Father  Ensures 
Universality  of  Heritage. 

X.  THAT  GLORIFIED  SAINTS  WILL  POS- 
SESS AND  ENJOY  THE  ENTIRE  CREA- 
TION. IS  PROVED  BY  WHAT  THE  BIBLE 
TEACHES  ABOUT  CHRIST  AND  OUR 
RELATIONS   TO    HIM 228 

1.  Christ's  Feeling  Toward  us  as  Friends.  1. 
Willingness  to  Die  for  Us,  Implies  Willingness 
to  Let  us  Travel  through  His  Empire.  2.  His 
Ability  to  Do  This.  3.  God  Gave  All  Things  to 
Christ.  As  God  Loved  Christ,  Christ  Loves 
Us.  II.  Arguments  from  other  Relations  to 
Christ.  1.  We  are  Heirs  with  Him;  Each 
Saint  His  Brother,  Sister,  Mother.  He  Owns 
Creation,  We  are  His  Family.  3.  Figure  from 
the  Conjugal  Relation.  Church  the  Bride  of 
Christ.  He  is  the  Head,  We  are  the  Members. 
a.  Head  over  All  Things,  b.  Church  the  Body 
of  Him  "That  Filleth  All  in  All."  c.  Christ 
Head  over  All  Things  for  the  Church.  Christ 
will  Hereafter  Administer  the  Cosmos  in  the 
Interest  of  the  Church.  III.  Saints  One  with 
Christ,  as  He  is  One  with  God.  1.  Character  of 
This  Oneness,  in  Spiritual  Life,  and  Material 
Possessions.  2.  Consequences  of  this  One- 
ness. Church  is  to  Behold  His  Glory  in  Ad- 
ministration   of   the    Cosmos.      Saints    to    be 


CONTENTS  XV 

CHAPTEB  PAGE 

With  Him  Where  He  is.  He  May  be  Any- 
where. They  are  to  Share  His  Moral  and  In- 
tellectual Glory.  This  Involves  Profound  Un- 
derstanding of  His  Material  Works  Through- 
out Creation.  They  are  to  Share  His  Glory 
of  Ranging  Everywhither.  They  are  to  be 
One  with  Christ,  as  He  is  one  with  God; 
Hence  Receiving  Sovereignty  over  All  Things. 
Oneness  of  Church  with  Christ,  Beholding  and 
Sharing  His  Glory,  Implies  that  the  Church 
may  be  Everywhere  in  the  Cosmos.  No  Ob- 
jection from  Statement  "We  shall  Reign  on 
the  Earth."  (Rev.  5;  10).  Future  Eden  Prob- 
ably not  to  be  on  Earth.  Christ  has  Ap- 
pointed unto  Us  His  Kingdom.  At  His  Final 
Coming,  He  Calls  the  Saints  to  Inherit  Their 
Kingdom — All  Things.  Revelation  Confirms 
All  that  has  Preceded.  He  that  Overcometh 
shall  Sit  with  Christ  on  Throne  of  Universal 
Empire. 

XI.  THAT  GLORIFIED  SAINTS  WILL  POSSESS 
AND  ENJOY  THE  ENTIRE  UNIVERSE, 
IS  FURTHERMORE  PROVED  BY  WHAT 
THE  SCRIPTURES  OTHERWISE  TEACH 
ABOUT  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  AND  OUR  RE- 
LATIONS TO  HIM ;  ALSO  BY  WHAT  THE 
HOLY  SPIRIT  HIMSELF  UNQUESTION- 
ABLY TEACHES    261 

I.  The  Holy  Spirit  and  His  Attitude  toward 
Believers.  2.  Some  Lessons  He  Teaches,  a. 
All  Things  work  for  Good  to  Believer.  All 
Things  in  Earth  and  Heaven  Work  for  His 
Good.  Armies  of  Stars  Work  for  ouf  Good. 
So  do  Eternity  and  Infinity,  b.  "Godliness 
Profitable  unto  All  Things."  Cannot  Mean 
Eternal  Restriction,  c.  New  Heavens  and  a 
New  Earth  Wherein  Dwelleth  Righteousness; 
i.  6.,  Dwell  Righteous  Beings.  3.  What  the 
Spirit  is  to  do  for  the  Disciples. There?  a. 
Abiding  with  Them  Forever,  He  will  Bring 
All  Things  to  Their  Remembrance,  b.  Teach 
them  All  Things.     All  Things  about  Christ  and 


xvi  CONTENTS 

CHAPTEB  PAGE 

His  Possessions.  The  All  Things  Limited  only 
by  Finite  Capacity  to  Understand,  The  In- 
structor Omniscient,  The  University  the 
Cosmos.  The  Spirit  has  Taught  both 
Spiritual  and  Physical  Truth,  Before  the  Time 
of  Christ,  and  Subsequently  Thereto.  Future 
Life  Characterized,  not  by  Holiness  Alone, 
but  by  Highest  Possible  Development  of 
All  Faculties,  Crowned  with  Holiness.  Spirit 
to  Teach  us  What  is  Contained  in  Empires 
of  Space,  and  Eternities  of  Duration. 

XII.  THAT  GLORIFIED  SAINTS  WILL  POSSESS 
AND  ENJOY  THE  ENTIRE  UNIVERSE, 
PROVED  BY  WHAT  THE  SCRIPTURES 
OTHERWISE  TEACH  ABOUT  THE  HOLY 
SPIRIT  AND  OUR  RELATIONS  TO  HIM; 
ALSO  BY  WHAT  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  HIM- 
SELF UNQUESTIONABLY   TEACHES 276 

(Continued  from  last  Chapter). 

Some  Objections  Answered.  A.  Why  was 
This  Doctrine  not  Outlined  From  the  Begin- 
ning? B.  Why  not  Presented  more  Plainly 
in  the  O.  Testament?  Left  to  be  Revealed 
Later,  like  Length  of  Days  of  Creation.  Ef- 
fect of  Galileo's  Discovery  that  Earth  Re- 
volves Around  Sun.  Divinely  Wise  Course 
of  Bible  in  Describing  Relation  Betweea 
Earth  and  Sun.  Disastrous-  Results  which 
must  have  Followed  Scriptural  Presentation 
of  now  Familiar  Astronomical  Truth.  Much 
More  of  Man's  Prospective  Universality  of 
Heritage. 

Wisdom  of  Bible's  Gradual  Development  of 
Latter  Doctrine.  Seed  of  Woman  to  Bruise 
Serpent's  Head.  Tree  of  Life.  Translation 
of  Enoch.  Power  of  Celestial  Flight,  When. 
Given  to  Adam,  had  he  not  sinned?  Abra- 
ham's Seed  to  be  "as  Stars  of  Heaven."  To 
be  as  "Sands  upon  Seashore."  Evidence  by 
Voice  from  Burning  Bush.  Argument  from 
Song  of  Morning  Stars.    Gen.  1;  28  only  Pre- 


CONTENTS  xvil 

CHAPTEB  PAOB 

liminary.  Evidence  from  Ps.  8.  Argument 
from  Ps.  148;  1-2,  and  Ps.  150;  1.  Argument 
from  Daniel  12;  3.  He  Interprets  Promise  to 
Abraham.  Modern  Astronomy  Interprets 
Daniel.  Argument  from  Rom.  4;  13,  Rom.  8; 
16-17,  Rom.  8;  38-39.  Affirmed  by  I.  Cor.  15; 
41-42.  Affirmed  in  Most  Unqualified  Manner 
by  Heb.  2;  7-8.  Doctrine  Declared  Twice  in 
Heb.  2.  New  Jerusalem  only  a  Metropolis. 
No  Prophecies  of  More  Unqualified  Character 
Given  by  Inspiration.  Evidences  so  Colossal, 
Hard  to  Recapitulate.  Their  Meaning  Cannot 
be  Misunderstood.  This  Doctrine  Interwoven 
■with  Entire  Fabric  of  Scripture.  Doctrine 
that  Saints  are  Citizens  of  Universe  is  Deep- 
Buried  in  the  Word,  and  Unqualified.  Loca- 
tion of  Heaven  Becomes  Very  Unimportant. 
Why  Spiritual  Elements  of  Future  Life  are 
more  Prominent  in  Revelation.  Not  Divine 
Intention  that  Doctrine  of  Universality  of 
Heritage  should  be  Understood  from  Begin- 
ning. Developed  Progressively.  Astronomy 
God's  Commentary  upon  Some  Promises. 
Church  Slowly  Coming  to  Understand  Great- 
ness of  its  Prospects.  These  are  Overwhelm- 
ing. 

XIII.     SOME    DEDUCTIONS    FROM    FOREGOING 

DOCTRINES 325 

I.  Realization  of  Them  Beyond  our  Present 
Power  to  Grasp.  An  Illustration  to  Aid  Under- 
standing of  Them.  Insignificance  of  Our 
Solar  System  in  the  Universe.  Our  Sun  Far 
Outshone  by  Other  Orbs.  Inexhaustible  Va- 
rieties of  Colour  Displayed  by  Other  Celes- 
tial Worlds.  Our  Sketch  but  a  Skeleton. 
Ineffably  Dramatic  Possibilities  of  Future 
Life.  II.  This  Doctrine  in  Harmony  with 
Other  Great  Doctrines  of  Inspiration.  Mag- 
nifies Divine  Love.  God's  Love  for  Man 
Springs,  not  from  Any  Desert  in  Us,  but  from 
the  Nature  of  God  Himself.  Scriptures  Un- 
mistakably Teach  Eternal  Punishment.   Justi- 


xvlli  CONTENTS 

fled  by  Greatness  of  Sin  that  Rejects  Such 
Salvation.  Value  God  Sets  upon  a  Human 
Soul  Partly  Explained  by  Soul's  Stupendous 
Possibilities.  Doctrine  of  Universality  of 
Heritage  Vindicates  Doctrine  of  Election. 
Doctrine  of  Reprobation  Not  Scriptural. 
Vast  Number  of  Elect.  Doctrine  of  Election 
Glorious. 

Prospect  of  this  Inheritance  Most  Stimulat- 
ing to  Religious  Life.  Necessity  of  New 
Birth  still  More  Evident.  In  Future  Life 
What  could  we  Ask  More  than  is  Secured  to 
us?  Great  Encouragement  to  Fidelity  in 
Christian  Duties.  Life  Becomes  Tremendously 
Optimistic.  For  Each  Individual.  Great  Com- 
fort Under  Bereavement  and  Trial.  This 
Doctrine  Gives  Wings  to  the  Soul.  Solves 
Many  Mysteries  of  Providence.  Teaches 
Most  Encouraging  Principles  about  our  Rela^ 
tions  to  the  Multitude.  Stimulates  Mission- 
ary Effort.  This  Truth  Must  More  and  More 
Influence  Faith  of  Christian  Church.  Gives 
Larger  Meaning  to  Every  Portion  of  Apostles' 
Creed,    Brings  Greater  Glory  to  the  Deity. 


INTRODUCTION 

Our  knowledge  of  God's  revelations  concerning 
the  Way  of  Life  increases  but  little.  The  principal 
activity  of  the  Church  about  the  great  cardinal 
doctrines  in  the  Plan  of  Salvation,  is  continually  to 
reaf^rm,  defend,  and  proclaim  them.  From  the 
beginning  they  were  intended  to  be  unmistakable. 
And  in  them  the  men  of  each  successive  genera- 
tion have  discovered  what  their  predecessors  had 
there  found,  but  little  more. 

The  author  wishes  to  state  without  qualification, 
that  in  no  particular  does  he  design  to  antagonize 
any  element  of  the  evangelical  faith  about  the  Way 
of  Life.  He  does  not  doubt  the  principles  of  that 
iaith.  There  is  in  his  mind  no  scepticism  about  a 
single  one.  He  does  not  believe  the  Church  ever 
will  undergo  any  material  change  of  belief  that  im- 
plies abandonment  of  its  present  doctrinal  posi- 
tions. On  the  contrary,  by  the  lines  of  Scriptural 
study  here  presented,  many  of  them  are  wonder- 
fully enhanced  in  significance  and  glory. 

But  no  man  who  has  profoundly  explored  God's 
works  thinks  he  has  learned  all  about  the  physical 
world  around  us.     So  neither  does  any  one  who 


XX  INTRODUCTON 

has  carefully  studied  God's  Word  believe  he  has 
fathomed  all  that  lies  hidden  in  its  depths.  When 
Shakespeare  said,  "There  are  more  things  in 
heaven  and  earth  than  are  dreamed  of  in  our  phi- 
losophy," he  might  with  equal  truth  have  added, 
"our  science,  or  our  theology." 

With  John  Robinson,  we  believe  that  new  light 
is  to  break  from  the  Word  of  God.  But  upon  what 
subjects  would  that  new  light  be  most  legitimately 
expected?  Of  course  it  is  to  come  in  the  form  of 
practical  applications  of  Christian  principles  to 
each  of  the  new  duties,  new  questions,  and  new 
emergencies  that  rise  forever  in  the  march  of 
Christian  civilization.  Yet,  as  the  life  of  earth  is 
infinitesimal  beside  the  greater  life  of  Heaven,  we 
very  naturally  assume  that  some  increase  of  illumi- 
nation may  be  shed  upon  that  future  existence. 
This  subject  is  so  stupendous  and  comprehensive, 
the  Bible  can  speak  of  few  things  greater.  As 
the  boundless  universe  sweeps  away  in  every  direc- 
tion, disclosing  uncounted  worlds,  on  any  one  of 
which  multitudinous  discoveries  may  be  possible; 
so  many  great  passages  of  Scripture  contain  un- 
known depths  of  meaning.  And,  from  any  one  of 
these,  new  light  may  pour  forth  with  unexpected 
revelations. 

We  are  not  just  now  studying  preeminently  the 
spiritual  elements  and  aspects  of  our  coming  life. 
These,  of  all  its  features  confessedly  the  most  im- 
portant,  have   been   already   much    discussed   by 


INTRODUCTION  xxi 

Others.  Therefore  we  purposely  pass  by  many 
themes  usually  noticed  by  writers  upon  the  celes- 
tial state.  We  are  interested  in  following  special 
and  newer  lines  of  research.  And,  though  noting 
a  few  other  aspects  as  incidentals,  we  consider 
more  particularly  the  Physical  Powers,  Privileges, 
etc.,  of  the  Heavenly  Existence. 

I.  Briefly,  some  of  its  Aesthetic  and  Social  Feat- 
ures. 

That  we  may  catch  a  little  glimpse  of  the  beau- 
tiful glow  of  warmth  and  colour  with  which  Reve- 
lation invests  this  subject. 

II.  The  Power  of  Celestial  Flight,  and  the  Phy- 
sical Range  of  the  Future  Life. 

The  Christian  Church  has  never  understood  in 
its  full  import  what  the  Scripture  predicts  about 
the  future  scope  of  our  celestial  activities.  Its  con- 
ception is  narrow.  "There  remaineth  yet  much 
land  to  be  possessed." 

While  occasionally  there  is  reference  in  soma 
theological  book  to  the  possibility  that,  in  our  com- 
ing state,  we  may  have  power  to  traverse  great 
distance;  we  are  not  aware  that  any  writer  has  ever 
sought  to  collect  and  develop  the  many,  varied,  and 
strong  Scriptural  evidences  that  this  will  be  the 
case.  So,  on  the  pages  that  follow,  we  have  at- 
tempted to  interpret  the  Biblical  teaching  which 
reveals  the  future  method  of  locomotion  of  saints 
and  angels  through  God's  empire.    In  other  words. 


xxii  INTRODUCTION 

have  studied  man's  prospective  powers  of  light- 
ning-like and  far-ranging  flight. 

Comparatively  few  theologians  now  would  at- 
tempt to  defend  the  doctrine  that  our  coming  life 
will  be  limited  to  any  Local  Heaven,  however 
transcendent  the  delights  of  that  Paradise  may  be. 
The  number  is  increasing  of  those  who  think  our 
future  activity  will  have  much  greater  scope.  Yet, 
so  far  as  the  author  is  aware,  there  never  has  been 
any  systematic  efifort  to  classify  and  explain  the 
great  number  of  principles  and  passages  in  the 
Bible  which  indicate  that  its  range  will  include  the 
boundless  cosmos,  and  teach  the  stupendous  truth 
of  The  Universality  of  the  Christian's  Future  Herit- 
age. 

The  old  idea  of  Heaven,  even  when  this  was 
deemed  a  single  city,  was  a  precious  belief.  It  has 
kindled  the  devotion,  strengthened  the  faith,  nour- 
ished the  hope,  and  fired  the  courage  of  millions 
who  never  dreamed  of  any  view  more  comprehen- 
sive. And  this  belief  that  there  is  such  a  place 
— the  "City  of  God,"  the  "New  Jerusalem" — we 
unreservedly  accept.  It  seems  impossible  to  in- 
terpret the  Scripture  in  any  sound  way,  without 
retaining  this  idea.  And  we  would  not  disturb  the 
dreams  and  fancies  about  that  blissful  abode  which 
have,  in  all  ages,  comforted  and  delighted  pious 
hearts. 

But  that  is  only  a  germinal  conception.  In  real- 
ity Heaven  stands  for  far  more  than  the  faith  or 


INTRODUCTION  xxili 

even  the  imagination  of  the  great  body  of  the 
Christian  Church  has  ever  reaUzed.  Profound 
study  of  Scripture  gives  an  infinite  expansion  to 
our  ideas  regarding  the  future  domain  and  Hfe  of 
glorified  saints.  For  it  is  seen  that  the  Word  of 
God,  in  its  deepest  meanings,  presents  an  incom- 
parably broader,  grander,  and  more  overwhelming 
view.  Heaven  is  only  the  capital  of  an  empire 
which  includes  the  entire  Universe. 

For  the  Bible  warrants  conceptions  far  surpass- 
ing even  those  glorious  ones  long  held  by  evangeli- 
cal believers.  As  one  studies  point  by  point  the 
great  Scriptural  principles  that  bear  upon  this  sub- 
ject, he  no  longer  feels  that  the  inspired  fore- 
shadowings  of  our  future  life  can  by  any  possi- 
bility be  realized  in  any  single  city,  or  upon  any 
single  sphere.  Grander  and  still  grander  immen- 
sities of  conception  are  gradually  developed  from 
the  Holy  Oracles.  So  the  Christian  sees  how 
clear,  unqualified,  and  strong  his  title  to  the  cos- 
mos is.  He  realizes  there  are  great  ranges  of 
truth  which  the  Church  has  hardly  dared  to  ac- 
cept, or  even  consider  in  its  theories  of  the  here- 
after. Fascinating  speculation  grows  to  strong 
and  unalterable  conviction  that,  by  grace  divine, 
we  are  indeed  heirs  to  all  the  illimitable  empires 
of  the  Great  King.  He  designs  for  His  children, 
not  only  what  is  contained  in  the  eternities  of 
time,  but  also  in  the  infinities  of  space. 

About  this  future  inheritance  the  Bible  contains 


XXlV  INTRODUCTION 

a  wealth  of  ideas,  whose  developement  must 
strongly  tend  to  amplify  the  views,  kindle  the 
imagination,  and  delight  the  heart  of  the  great 
body  of  believers.  But,  in  our  investigation  of 
the  ineffable  prospect,  there  confessedly  open  away 
on  every  side  vast  kingdoms  of  thought  which  we 
cannot  here  attempt  to  enter,  and  countless  vistas 
of  enquiry  which  we  make  no  endeavour  to  ex- 
plore. Doubtless  to  all  eternity  there  will  be  other 
like  kingdoms,  and  other  inviting  vistas. 

Alger's  Future  Life  presents,  as  an  appendix,  the 
famous  bibliography  in  which  Dr.  Ezra  Abbot,  Li- 
brarian of  Harvard,  fills  187  pages  of  fine  print 
with  titles  of  books  devoted  to  discussion  of  the 
future  state.  But  perusal  of  it  failed  to  disclose  a 
single  one  which  implied  that  there  had  ever  been 
a  systematic  endeavour  to  obtain  and  interpret  a 
consensus  of  the  Scriptural  teachings  upon  the 
great  theme  now  under  consideration.  Nor  are  we 
aware  of  any  volume  published  since,  in  which  any 
such  effort  has  been  made. 

And  the  author  did  not  know  how  he  could  em- 
ploy time  and  strength  to  better  advantage  than 
in  this  attempt,  however  modest,  to  collect,  sur- 
vey, and  sum  up  the  evidences  of  this  doctrine; 
and  to  show  how  many,  overwhelming,  and  conclu- 
sive those  evidences  are.  For  may  acceptance  of 
the  glorious  Biblical  truth  that  each  child  of  God 
shall  inherit  and  enjoy  all  the  possessions  of  his 
Father,  become  more  and  more  universal,  with  its 


INTRODUCTION  xiv 

unspeakably  inspiring  prospects,  hopes,  and  influ- 
ences. 

For  valued  criticisms  and  suggestions  in  the 
preparation  of  this  book,  the  author  acknowledges 
much  indebtedness  to  the  instructor  of  his  boy- 
hood. Prof.  Sylvester  Burnham,  D.  D.,  now  Dean 
of  the  Theological  Faculty  of  Colgate  University, 
Hamilton,  N.  Y. ;  a  man  whose  deep  piety,  superior 
scholarship,  enthusiasm  in  teaching,  and  many  lov- 
able traits  of  character  have  been  a  life-long  in- 
spiration. Also  to  his  old-time  friend  and  brother 
in  the  ministry.  Rev.  William  Henry  Bates,  D.  D., 
of  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  whose  accurate,  sound,  and  con- 
servative judgment  has  been  most  helpful. 


PART  FIRST 


SOME  AESTHETIC  AND  SOCIAL  FEATURES  OF  THE 
BELIEVER'S  COMING  EXISTENCE,  AS  IT  IS  PICTURED 
IN  THE  CITY  OF  GOD. 


xxvu 


CHAPTER  I 

THE    BEAUTY   OF   HEAVEN 

"And  I  John  saw  the  holy  city,  new  Jerusalem, 
coming  down  from  God  out  of  heaven,  prepared 
as  a  bride  adorned  for  her  husband."  (Rev. 
21 ;  2). 

I.  Ever  since  the  days  of  the  old  Greek  philoso- 
phers, wise  men  have  agreed  that  the  human 
mind  should  seek  the  true,  the  good,  and  the 
beautiful.  These  are  to  be  the  objects  of  our  pur- 
suit throughout  life  here.  But  they  are  to  be  also 
our  eternal  aspiration  in  the  life  to  come.  For 
heaven,  which  is  the  realm  of  truth  and  goodness, 
is  the  abode  of  beauty  too. 

And  we  will  note 

WHAT  THE  BIBLE  SUGGESTS  ABOUT  THE  BEAUTY 
OF  HEAVEN. 

Not  now  its  holiness,  wisdom,  or  happiness;  but 
its  beauty. 

Beauty  is  a   thing  which  the  heart  naturally 

1 


2  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

craves.  As  much  as  there  is  a  mathematical  fac- 
ulty which  desires  accuracy  in  calculation  and  a 
moral  instinct  which  appreciates  the  right,  there 
is  also  an  aesthetic  sense  which  desires  beauty. 
The  normally  constituted  mind  loves  truth,  and 
approves  rectitude;  but  it  also  covets  beauty.  We 
need  clothes  to  warm  us,  but  would  have  them 
neatly  fit.  We  require  houses  to  shelter  us,  but 
would  see  them  tastefully  adorned.  If  an  indi- 
vidual or  family  has  goodness,  knowledge,  health, 
and  comfort,  but  not  elegance,  we  feel  that  there 
is  a  lack. 

Among  the  people  of  nearly  all  lands,  there  is 
more  or  less  love  of  beauty.  Some  nations  show 
it  in  striking  measure.  Italy  is  the  very  home 
thereof.  Here  are  beauties  of  landscape,  architec- 
ture, tasteful  apartments,  picturesque  attire,  of 
varied  and  exquisite  arts.  Any  person  who  has 
not  this  love  for  beauty,  is  regarded  by  us  as  de- 
ficient in  an  important  element  of  mental  culture. 
But,  if  he  possess  this  instinct  in  a  high  degree, 
we  concede  that  he  has  at  least  a  certain  type  of 
cultivation. 

There  have  been  many  efforts  to  study  beauty, 
as  "Burke's  Essay  on  the  Sublime  and  the  Beau- 
tiful," and  Day's  "Science  of  Esthetics."  Many 
attempts  to  analyze  and  describe  what  has  been 
done  by  different  men  in  different  nations  to  de- 
velop beauty,  as  in  "Luebke's  History  of  the  Fine 
Arts." 


THE  BEAUTY  OF  HEAVEN.  3 

The  aesthetic  sense  is  susceptible  of  indefinite 
cultivation.  And,  generally,  the  more  highly  the 
mind  is  cultivated,  the  more  it  loves  the  beautiful. 
We  love  beauty  of  colour,  form,  sound,  motion. 
Delight  to  behold  it  in  God's  work  or  in  man's. 
We  love  the  splendid  scenery,  the  sumptuous 
edifice,  the  finished  painting,  the  graceful  statue, 
the  rhythm  of  poesy,  the  concords  of  music;  high 
developments  of  the  physical,  intellectual,  and 
spiritual  natures;  beauty  always  and  everywhere. 

II.  We  shall  more  intelligently  discuss  the 
beauty  of  Heaven,  if  we  first  note  one  or  two 
other  points  about  the  nature  of  that  celestial 
abode. 

Our  Lord  Jesus  had  a  body.  After  His  resurrec- 
tion, it  was  the  same  body,  only  changed  and 
glorified.  He  said,  "Handle  me,  and  see.  For  a 
spirit  hath  not  flesh  and  bones,  as  ye  see  me 
have."  (Luke  24;  39).  "He  said  unto  them,  have 
ye  here  any  meat?  And  they  gave  him  a  piece  of 
a  broiled  fish,  and  of  an  honeycomb.  And  he 
took  it,  and  did  eat  before  them."  (Luke  24; 
42-43).  Peter  said  of  Jesus,  God  "shewed  him 
openly,  *  *  even  to  us  who  did  eat  and  drink  with 
him  after  he  rose  from  the  dead."  (Acts  10;  41). 
The  disciples  saw  His  beloved  figure  ascend  toward 
Heaven.  At  the  resurrection,  all  saints,  both  the 
dead  and  the  living,  shall  have  bodies  like  that  of. 
Jesus. 


4  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

But  there  must  be  some  place  for  these  bodies. 
And  this  fact  confirms  all  the  rest  of  the  Bible 
teaching  that  there  is  a  local  Paradise.  Heaven 
is  not  merely  a  state;  it  is  also  a  place. 

III.  And  now,  even  if  we  had  no  distinct  reve- 
lation upon  this  point,  from  what  God  teaches 
about  Heaven  in  oth^r  respects  we  should  believe 
that  it  is  beautiful.  All  our  general  reasoning 
would  lead  us  to  suppose  that  this  place  must  be 
the  abode  of  beauty.  For,  approaching  our  sub- 
ject by  indirect  and  negative  reasoning,  we  argue 
that  Heaven  will  be  beautiful  in  all  its  character- 
istics; from  the  absence  of  everything  displeasing. 

There  shall  be  no  night  there.  They  need  no 
candle,  neither  light  of  the  sun.  Darkness  shall 
forever  flee  away.     It  is  a  realm  of  light. 

There  shall  be  no  more  death.  Therefore  no 
more  decay.  For  decay  must  tend  toward  death. 
Hence  there  must  be  perfect  health.  "The  in- 
habitant of  that  land  shall  no  more  say,  T  am 
sick.'  "  Health  is  one  fundamental  requisite  for 
the  highest  enjoyment  of  beauty.  And  health  it- 
self is  beautiful. 

No  sin.  Therefore  our  characters  will  be  beau- 
tiful. But  if  no  more  sin,  then  no  more  curse. 
Now  God  designed  that  all  His  creatures  should 
be  happy.  It  was  the  curse  alone  that  made  us 
miserable.  Removal  of  all  sin  will  take  away  ev- 
erything that  causes  in  us  unhappiness.     But  de- 


THE  BEAUTY  OF  HEAVEN.  5 

formity  would  cause  unhappiness.  Hence  we  ar- 
gue that  there  will  be  no  more  deformity,  but  the 
opposite.  No  ignorance;  for  that  would  mar  our 
joy.  "There  shall  be  no  more  death,  neither  sor- 
row, nor  crying;  for  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears 
from  their  eyes."  "No  sorrow."  Therefore  no 
experiences  that  are  otherwise  than  beautiful;  for 
such  would  cause  us  distress. 

We  shall  enjoy  the  favour  of  God.  Hence  it  is  a 
world  of  high  health,  knowledge,  symmetry, 
beautiful  characters,  happiness,  and  blessedness 
from  the  smile  of  God.  Here  is  much  that  is 
beautiful  at  once. 

IV.  But  now,  turning  to  the  more  positive  lines 
of  argument,  we  observe  that  the  descriptions  of 
Heaven  indicate  the  presence  of  beautiful  ele- 
ments very  many. 

In  its  landscape.  "And  I  John  saw  the  holy 
city,  new  Jerusalem,  coming  down  from  God  out 
of  heaven,  prepared  as  a  bride,  adorned  for  her 
husband;  having  the  glory  of  God;  and  her  light 
was  like  unto  a  stone  most  precious,  even  like  a 
jasper  stone,  clear  as  crystal.  And  the  city  was 
pure  gold,  like  unto  clear  glass."  (Rev.  21;  i,  11, 
18-23).  About  all  the  precious  gems  we  know  are 
in  its  foundations,  wall,  and  gates.  Those  gems 
beautiful  in  themselves,  and  in  their  symbolism  of 
spiritual  wonders.     Of  the  wealth  and  variety  of 


6  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

beauty  in  that  "city  that  hath  foundations,"  who 
can  fitly  speak? 

Ocean,  tempering  chmates,  perfecting  land- 
scapes, is  among  earth's  greatest  blessings.  In 
Heaven  we  expect  an  ideal  sea.  To  the  ancients, 
compassless,  chartless,  the  sea  was  a  terror.  It 
meant  separation,  everlasting  restlessness  and  in- 
stability, conflict  with  angry  elements,  storms  in 
which  treasures  and  friends  were  lost.  A  symbol 
of  sin,  danger,  disaster,  death.  In  that  sense  it  is 
gone  forever.  The  expression,  "There  was  no 
more  sea"  (Rev.  21;  i),  seems  to  have  this  figura- 
tive meaning;  being  preceded  by  two  plain  decla- 
rations  that  there  is  a  sea,  but  of  a  wholly  differ- 
ent character.  "Before  the  throne  there  was  a 
sea  of  glass  like  unto  crystal."  (Rev.  4;6).  Serene 
and  mirrorlike,  it  is  calm  as  the  deep  peace  of 
Heaven.  Into  it  flow  forever  the  waters  of  life. 
Again  John  says,  "And  I  saw  as  it  were  a  sea  of 
glass  mingled  with  fire."  (Rev.  15  ;2).  That 
same  sea,  as  an  ocean  of  light,  sparkling  and  blaz- 
ing with  the  resplendence  from  the  throne.  The 
most  beautiful  flood  e'er  seen! 

Such  then  is  the  sea  "of  that  beautiful  land, 

The  far-away  home  of  the  soul, 
Where   no    storms   ever   beat   on   the   glittering 
strand, 

While  the  years  of  eternity  roll." 


THE  BEAUTY  OP  HEAVEN.  7 

And  as  upon  the  Red  Sea's  shore  the  Hebrews 
sang,  so  they  that  have  "gotten  the  victory  over 
the  beast,  and  over  his  image,  and  over  his  mark, 
and  over  the  number  of  his  name,  stand  by*  the 
sea  of  glass,  having  the  harps  of  God,"  and  sing. 
(Rev.  15;  2).     Such  then  the  city,  such  the  sea. 

Over  such  a  landscape,  there  must  be  a  fitting 
sky.  God,  who  designed  the  clouds  which  for 
sixty  centuries  have  flashed  and  kindled  in  the 
dawn,  and  have  in  beauty  robed  and  wreathed  the 
setting  sun;  God,  who  leads  out  the  armies  of  the 
stars  for  their  nightly  and  dazzling  march;  how 
can  He  make  the  sky  of  Heaven  otherwise  than 
beautiful  ? 

He  filled  this  lower  sphere  with  beauty,  and 
gave  us  power  to  enjoy  it.  But,  if  such  be  the 
footstool,  then  what  of  the  throne?  When  we 
stand  in  that  higher  world,  with  senses  keener 
than  at  present,  each  faculty  shall  there  find  the 
beauty  in  which  it  most  delights.  This  the  Bible 
plainly  indicates.  There  is  a  "pure  river  of  water 
of  life,  clear  as  crystal,  proceeding  out  of  the 
throne  of  God."  "Whosoever  will,  let  him  take 
the  water  of  life  freely."  On  either  side  of  the 
river  are  groves  of  "the  tree  of  life,  which  beareth 
twelve  manner  of  fruit,  and  yieldeth  her  fruit  every 
month,  and  the  leaves  of  the  tree  are  for  the  heal- 
ing of  the  nations."     (Rev.  22). 

Thus  John  outlines  the  great  picture — the  city, 

•  Word  used  in  the  ReYised  Version. 


8  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

the  sea,  the  sky.  But  there  is  also  the  beauty  of 
fountains  and  floods;  of  fohage,  flowers,  fruit;  of 
things  that  please  the  eye  and  the  taste.  Upon 
the  glancing  waters  of  that  river,  the  fetters  of 
the  frost  ne'er  fall.  As  there  is  no  night,  so 
no  winter.     It  is  the  eternal  summer-land. 

But  our  everlasting  home  is  the  palace  where 
the  God-man  holds  His  Court.  God  is  the  fountain 
head  of  all  the  beauty  that  we  know.  He  was  the 
great  artist  before  any  human  being  knew  aught 
of  beauty.  Christ  loves  beauty,  otherwise  He 
would  not  forever  be  creating  it.  And  this  love 
of  beauty  in  us,  is  one  element  of  likeness  to  God 
which  remains  in  us  despite  the  fall.  In  Florence 
you  visit  the  home  of  Michael  Angelo.  And  it  is 
indeed  beautiful.  How  could  it  be  otherwise?  It 
contains  many  relics  of  the  handiwork  of  the  mas- 
ter genius  who  abode  there  once.  But  you  say, 
"If  Angelo  had  only  had  more  means,  how  much 
better  he  might  have  wrought  to  adorn  and  orna- 
ment his  home !"  Now  Plato  said,  "Beauty  is  the 
thought  of  God."  And  surely  all  God's  thoughts 
are  beautiful.  But  in  Heaven  we  shall  see  the 
highest  ideas  of  beauty  that  God  ever  had,  illus- 
trated and  wrought  out  with  the  highest  skill  and 
power  of  the  Great  King. 

Consider  the  beauty  of  the  angelic  beings  who 
there  minister!  How  rich  the  Scriptures  are  in 
descriptions  of  these  celestial  spirits !  After  the 
angel  appeared  to  the  wife  of  Manoah,  she  said 


THE  BEAUTY  OF  HEAVEN.  9 

to  her  husband,  "A  man  of  God  came  unto  me,  and 
his  countenance  was  like  the  countenance  of  an 
angel  of  God,  very  terrible."  (Judges  13;  6). 
Daniel  depicts  the  angelic  splendour.  "Then  I 
lifted  up  mine  eyes,  and  looked,  and  behold  a  cer- 
tain man  clothed  in  linen,  whose  loins  were  girded 
with  fine  gold  of  Uphaz;  his  body  also  was  like  the 
beryl,  and  his  face  as  the  appearance  of  lightning, 
and  his  eyes  as  lamps  of  fire,  and  his  arms  and 
his  feet  like  in  colour  to  pohshed  brass,  and  the 
voice  of  his  words  like  the  voice  of  a  multitude." 
(Dan.  10;  5-7).  Note  the  grandeur  of  this  por- 
trayal. So  John  says,  "And  I  saw  an  other 
mighty  angel  coming  down  from  Heaven,  clothed 
with  a  cloud;  and  a  rainbow  was  upon  his  head, 
and  his  face  was  as  it  were  the  sun,  and  his  feet 
as  pillars  of  fire."  (Rev.  10;  i).  "After  these 
things,  I  saw  another  angel  coming  down  from 
Heaven,  having  great  power;  and  the  earth  was 
lightened  with  his  glory."  (Rev.  18;  i).  These 
accounts  imply  the  utmost  majesty. 

At  the  trial  of  Stephen,  "All  that  sat  in  the 
council,  looking  steadfastly  on  him,  saw  his  face 
as  it  had  been  the  face  of  an  angel."  (Acts  6;  15). 
The  angels  are  pure  spirits.  But  they  often  as- 
sumed human  form.  In  that  age,  the  appearance 
of  an  angel  was  not  a  specially  uncommon  thing. 
And  this  language  illustrates  the  Hebrew  under- 
standing of  the  glory  of  an  angel's  aspect.  About 
it  there  is  no  suggestion  of  weakness  or  senility. 


10  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

At  the  sepulchre,  the  angel  of  the  resurrection 
appears  as  a  young  man  of  surpassing  beauty. 
"His  countenance  was  like  lightning,  and  his  rai- 
ment white  as  snow."  Their  life  may  have  been 
measured  by  cycles;  but  in  aspect  they  have  ever- 
lasting youth.  And,  when  we  speak  of  their 
splendours,  it  is  entirely  contrary  to  all  the  light 
we  have,  not  to  suppose  that  they  exhibit  innum- 
erable types  and  forms  of  comeliness,  majesty,  and 
glory. 

But  there  is  beauty  in  the  human  figure  also. 
Equal,  if  not  superior  in  this  respect,  are  the 
graces  of  glorified  man.  The  Scriptures  throw 
upon  this  point  light  unmistakable.  The  Levitical 
law  excluded  from  the  priesthood  any  person  who 
had  a  physical  imperfection.  (Lev.  21;  16-24). 
The  priest  must  be  in  body  without  blemish.  But 
Christ  was  the  Great  High  Priest.  So  He,  of  all 
men,  must  have  been  physically  perfect.  When 
upon  Mount  Hermon  He  was  transfigured  before 
His  disciples,  He  seems  to  have  exhibited  to  them 
something  of  the  glorious  appearance  of  His  fu- 
ture resurrection  body.  But  He  appeared  as  a 
physically  perfect  young  man  about  thirty-three 
years  old — in  the  very  prime  of  His  early  man- 
hood.*    He  can  not  have  grown  aged  or  infirm. 


*  In  the  familiar  passage,  "He  hath  nc  form  nor  comeliness;  and 
when  we  shall  see  him,  there  is  no  beauty  that  we  should  desire 
him."  Isaiah's  language  seems  to  refer,  not  so  much  to  the  Messiah's 
personal  appearance  as  to  the  humility  of  His  demeanour  and  circum- 
stances, as  does  the  sentence  immediately  preceding,  "For  he  shall 
grow  up  before  him  ae  a  tender  plant,  and  as  a  root  out  of  a  dry 
ground."  (Is.  53:  2.)  Though  there  must  have  been  a  quiet  and 
Winning  majesty,  there  was  no  pomp  or  splendour  to  attract  the  eye. 


THE  BEAUTY  OF  HEAVEN.  11 

For  age  and  infirmity  mean  decay.  But  His  resur- 
rection body  cannot  know  decay,  nor  anything 
that  speaks  of  death.  Therefore  it  has  immortal 
youth.  Our  resurrection  bodies  are  to  be  like  His 
— in  their  early  prime,  and  clothed  with  immortal 
youth. 

In  the  museums  of  Europe,  you  see  statues  of 
Antinous,  that  young  man  of  antiquity  who  was 
noted  for  his  symmetry  and  grace.  There  is  the 
Apollo  Belvedere,  an  artist's  sublime  conception 
of  the  godlike  form.  In  Frankfort  you  visit  Dan- 
necker's  famous  group  of  statuary — "Ariadne  on 
the  Panther."  It  is  in  a  building  especially 
erected  for  it.  There  is  the  lithe  and  agile  beast. 
Upon  his  back  the  beauteous  maiden  sits.  The 
drapery  half  reveals,  and  half  conceals  her  fine 
proportions.  The  expression  on  her  face  most 
sweet.  The  crimson  curtains,  which  surround  the 
alcove,  mellow  the  light,  so  that  she  almost  seems 
to  live.  The  group  is  mounted  on  a  revolving 
pedestal.  And,  as  it  turns,  you  survey  it  from 
every  side — matchless  in  its  perfect  beauty.  The 
Antinous  shows  the  ideal  mould  of  man;  the 
Ariadne,  the  ideal  form  of  woman;  wrought  in 
lifeless  marble.  But  who  shall  prove  that,  in  the 
coming  world,  every  man  and  every  woman  will 
not  be  as  beautiful  of  face  and  figure  as  the  An- 
tinous and  the  Ariadne?  Those  Greek  statues 
were  largely  representations  of  the  living  figures 
seen  in  the  gymnasia.    They  were  illustrations  of 


12  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

the  superb  physiques  of  the  actual  persons  of  that 
day.  Modern  statues  are  largely  copied  from 
them.  But  surely  the  figures  of  the  glorified 
children  of  God  in  the  New  Jerusalem,  will  be  as 
beautiful  as  were  those  of  the  children  of  men  in 
ancient  Greece. 

There  comes  a  time  when  we  don't  want  our 
pictures  taken  any  more.  We  are  too  gray  and 
wrinkled.  How  many  are  satisfied  with  their  per- 
sonal appearance  here,  as  it  changes  with  the 
flight  of  years?  But  we  shall  be  satisfied  with 
this  as  well  as  all  other  things,  when  we  awake 
"in  His  Hkeness."  And  we  are  unquestionably 
justified  in  believing  there  are  many  and  varied 
types  of  beauty  among  glorified  men  and  women. 
Though  all  somewhat  reflect  the  image  of  the  Son 
of  God. 

Still  further.  "Thine  eyes  shall  see  the  king  in 
his  beauty;  they  shall  behold  the  land  that  is  very 
far.  ofif."  (Is.  33;  17).  God,  as  the  Infinite  Spirit, 
is  not  easily  comprehensible  by  us.  God,  in  hu- 
man form,  is  far  more  intelligible.  So  Christ  ap- 
pears thus  to  the  seer  Ezekiel.  "Upon  the  likeness 
of  the  throne  was  the  likeness  as  the  appearance  of 
a  man  above  upon  it.  And  I  saw  as  the  colour  of 
amber,  as  the  appearance  of  fire  round  about  with- 
in it,  from  the  appearance  of  his  loins  even  up- 
ward; and  from  the  appearance  of  his  loins  even 
downward,  I  saw  as  it  were  the  appearance  of 
fire,  and  it  had  brightness  round  about.     As  the 


THE  BEAUTY  OF  HEAVEN.  13 

appearance  of  the  bow  that  is  in  the  cloud  in  the 
day  of  rain,  so  was  the  appearance  of  the  bright- 
ness round  about.  This  was  the  appearance  of 
the  likeness  of  the  glory  of  the  Lord.  And  when 
I  saw  it,  I  fell  upon  my  face,  and  I  heard  the  voice 
of  one  that  spake."  (Ezek.  i;  26-28).  At  the 
Transfiguration  of  Jesus,  "His  face  did  shine  as 
the  sun,  and  his  raiment  was  white  as  the  light." 
(Matt.  17;  2).  But  even  His  appearance  at  this 
time,  does  not  seem  to  be  so  wonderful  as  that 
of  His  glorified  body  in  Heaven.  Perhaps  on 
Mt.  Hermon,  the  full  splendour  of  His  coming 
state  was  not  revealed.  But  it  is  disclosed  in 
Heaven.  John  says,  "I  saw  *  *  one  like  unto  the 
Son  of  man,  clothed  with  a  garment  down  to  the 
foot,  and  girt  about  the  paps  with  a  golden  girdle. 
His  head  and  his  hairs  were  white  like  wool,  as 
white  as  snow:"  (this  imagery  meaning  that  they 
were  crowned  with  radiance  and  dazzling  as  the 
light;)  "and  his  eyes  were  as  a  flame  of  fire;  and 
his  feet  like  unto  fine  brass,  as  if  they  burned  in 
a  furnace;  and  his  voice  as  the  sound  of  many 
waters  *  *  and  his  countenance  was  as  the  sun 
shineth  in  his  strength.  And  when  I  saw  him,  I 
fell  at  his  feet  as  dead."  (Rev.  i;  14-17).  "A 
throne  was  set  in  Heaven,  and,  one  sat  on  the 
throne,  and  he  that  sat  was  to  look  upon  like  a 
jasper  and  a  sardine  stone;  and  there  was  a  rain- 
bow round  about  the  throne,  in  sight  like  unto  an 
emerald."     (Rev.  4;  2-3).    "And  the  city  had  no 


14  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

need  of  the  sun,  *  *  for  *  *  the  Lamb  is  the  hght 
thereof."  (Rev.  21;  23).  Perhaps  Christ  Himself 
will  be  the  most  beautiful  object  we  shall  e'er  be- 
hold, "chiefest  among  ten  thousand,"  "altogether 
lovely."  We  shall  say,  "How  great  is  his  good- 
ness, how  great  is  his  beauty."    (Zech.  9;  17). 

And,  reflected  from  the  spirit  that  is  in  Him, 
there  shall  be  beauty  of  spirit  everywhere.  All 
disagreeable  elements  gone.  No  unpleasant  feat- 
ures of  any  kind  in  any  person.  All  lovable  and 
delightful  types  of  character  continually  exhibited 
before  us.  There  are  some  people  so  winning, 
that  we  are  irresistibly  drawn  toward  them.  The 
plain  face  becomes  fascinating  by  reason  of  the 
spirit  shining  through.  In  the  life  to  come,  we 
shall  see  continually  these  high  developments  of 
beauty. 

How  the  exhibition  of  some  noble  trait  will 
sometimes  stir  the  soul !  As  you  have  read  some 
deed  of  heroism;  how  it  has  made  your  heart  to 
thrill!  It  is  an  old  story  to  you  now.  But,  when 
for  the  first  time  you  learned  from  the  page  of 
history  how  Xerxes  mustered  his  millions  for  the 
invasion  of  Greece;  then  followed  his  march,  until 
the  Persian  myriads  were  surging  on  the  Thes- 
salian  shore;  then  saw  Leonidas  and  his  patriot 
band  go  forth  to  meet  them;  then  watched  by 
Thermopylae,  where  the  Spartan  lions  died  for 
their  native  land,  did  not  your  heart  quicken  just 
a  little? 


THE  BEAUTY  OF  HEAVEN.  16 

Whatsoever  is  true,  honest,  just,  pure,  lovely, 
and  of  good  report,  it  shall  shine  before  us.  Our 
hearts  shall  be  like  the  heart  of  Christ.  Sinless, 
saintly  spirits  are  always  delightful  to  contem- 
plate. True  holiness  is  always  beautiful.  Popu- 
lous shall  the  Heaven  be  with  creatures  of  the 
highest  mould.  Every  person  shall  seem  wonder- 
ful to  study.  There  will  be  perfect  moral  and 
spiritual  beauty — like  that  of  our  Lord. 

And  the  heavenly  raptures  that  fill  the  heart, 
shall  find  expression  in  perfect  song.  Music  is  the 
language  of  emotion.  And  there  will  be  the 
beauty  of  sounds  that  please  the  ear.  In  the 
Chapel  of  the  Russian  Embassy  at  Athens,  a  quar- 
tette of  star  singers  sang;  and  a  company  of  tour- 
ists stood  and  listened.  They  could  not  under- 
stand one  syllable  those  minstrels  spoke,  but  the 
spell  of  that  music  was  irresistible..  And  the  tears 
rolled  down  the  cheeks  of  the  listening  company. 
Such  was  the  power  of  melody  and  song.  Rarely 
is  there  a  person  who  does  not  enjoy  such  har- 
monies. 

And  the  mighty  musical  composers,  with 
greatly  increased  powers,  shall  surely  be  able  to 
write  better  music  than  they  produced  on  earth. 
And,  since  God  is  the  inspiration  of  the  highest 
music,  and  deHghts  therein;  He  will  fill  Heaven 
with  the  sweetest  and  most  perfect  melodies  the 
divine  composer  can  indite.  "And  I  heard  the 
voice  of  harpers  harping  with  their  harps:  and 


16  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

they  sung  as  it  were  a  new  song  before  the  throne, 
and  before  the  four  hving  creatures  and  the  el- 
ders." It  was  the  song  of  Moses  and  the  Lamb. 
The  song  of  Law  and  the  song  of  Love.  "And  I 
heard  as  it  were  the  voice  of  a  great  multitude, 
and  as  the  voice  of  many  waters,  and  as  the  voice 
of  mighty  thunderings."  There  the  angels  sing. 
And  there  the  ransomed  join.  The  sons  of  Asaph 
lead  their  choirs  beside  the  crystal  sea.  And  many 
sweet  spirits  whose  voices  we  loved  on  earth,  sing 
in  that  chorus  too. 

Their  "praises  throng  in  the  waves  of  song" 
That  break  on  the  throne  of  God. 

In  1760  was  born  William  Beckford,  of  England, 
who  had  genius  and  half  a  million  dollars  a  year. 
He  studied  and  he  traveled.  Spent  two  millions 
on  his  private  estate  at  Fonthill  Abbey.  Had  halls, 
vestibules,  corridors,  stairways,  saloons,  and 
chambers  many;  paintings,  statues,  musical  instru- 
ments, and  plate — a  new  set  of  porcelain  for  each 
day  of  the  year.  But  rarely  would  he  allow  a 
human  soul  except  his  servants  within  his  house. 
How  small  a  spirit !  But  Christ  left  all  the  beauty 
in  His  heavenly  home;  came  down  and  died  for  us, 
that  we  might  enter  there,  and  abide  forever. 
How  beautiful  the  motive  that  opens  Heaven  to 
us!  With  beautiful  love  for  Him  our  spirits 
should  respond. 


THE  BEAUTY  OF  HEAVEN.  17 

President  Mark  Hopkins,  of  Williams  College, 
said  "the  academic  education  was  to  make  one 
more  of  a  man;  the  professional  training  was  to 
make  him  more  of  a  lawyer,  minister,  physician, 
journalist,"  etc.  Whereas  each  of  us  should  be 
trying  through  all  this  to  become  more  of  a  Chris- 
tian, more  a  child  of  God.  Then,  though  here 
we  are  imperfect  creatures,  we  at  last  shall  out- 
grow all  our  imperfections.  And  all  of  us,  if  we 
are  in  Christ,  will  be  made  beautiful  forever. 

There  are  many  ambitions  of  this  world,  that 
may  be  realized,  or  may  not.  The  desire  for  high 
education,  marriage,  wealth,  fame,  health,  social 
position,  political  success,  and  things  like  these, 
may  be  gratified;  or  it  may  not.  But  we  need 
never  fail  to  reach  the  abode  of  beauty  by  and  by, 
and  to  find  satisfaction  there.  How  inspiring  the 
thought,  that,  when  these  lower  struggles  and 
conflicts  are  overpast,  we  shall  enter  such  an  abode 
as  that  which  awaits  us !  Those  whose  environment 
on  earth  has  most  lacked  for  beauty,  and  those 
who  have  revelled  in  it  most,  may  enjoy  dreams 
unrestrained  about  the  beauty  that  is  to  come. 
And  if,  in  the  city  where  the  ransomed  dwell, 
there  is  such  beauty,  what  a  stimulus  it  should  be 
to  us  to  cultivate  beauty  in  manners,  in  speech,  in 
spirit,  and  in  everything  that  pertains  to  life! 
What  a  failing  in  our  duty,  if  we  do  not  cultivate 
all  beauty  now!  So,  when  temptation  presses 
hard  upon  us,  there  comes  a  seraphic  music  from 


18  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

the  far-off  spheres.  It  is  the  voice  of  the  sons  of 
Asaph  beside  the  throne-lit  sea.  And  the  heart 
says,  "I  will  turn  away  from  sin — my  better  por- 
tion trace." 

But,  after  all  our  powers  of  discussion  are  ex- 
pended, we  shall  fail  to  approach  the  full  truth 
concerning  this  inexhaustible  theme.  We  read 
about  the  Louvre  in  Paris,  but  never  realize  how 
great  it  is.  A  wilderness  of  beauty!  It  takes 
days  and  weeks — it  may  be  months,  to  explore 
the  Louvre.  But  the  beauties  of  Heaven  shall 
never  be  exhausted.  In  these  inspired  descrip- 
tions of  it,  part  unmistakably  is  literal,  and  part 
is  figurative.  We  do  not  always  know  where  the 
one  begins,  the  other  ends.  But  the  general  les- 
son is  unmistakable.  Paint  Heaven  as  beautiful 
as  we  may,  it  must  still  be  beautiful  beyond  our 
dreams.     Eternity  cannot  exhaust  it. 

In  Rome,  you  visit  the  Rospigliosi  Palace,  and 
see  the  masterpiece  of  Guido  Reni — "Aurora 
Strewing  Flowers  before  the  Chariot  of  the  Lord 
of  Day."  Then  you  come  home,  and  try  to  tell 
your  friends  about  Guido  Reni's  Aurora.  And 
you  say,  "It  is  a  glorious  fresco,  30  feet  long,  and 
12  feet  wide.  Below,  in  the  foreground,  spreads 
the  Bay  of  Naples  in  beauty  and  blue.  Above, 
the  graceful  Aurora,  goddess  of  the  dawn,  is  scat- 
tering her  garlands  before  the  prancing  horses.  A 
little  cherub  figure  is  fiying  overhead,  holding  In 
his  hand  the  torch  of  day.     And  he  almost  seems 


THE  BEAUTY  OF  HEAVEN.  19 

to  move.  Then  come  the  sinewy  steeds  leaping 
before  the  chariot.  Around  these  are  the  graceful 
maidens  who  represent  the  flying  hours.  Figures 
more  beautiful  could  scarcely  be  conceived.  And 
in  the  chariot  Phoebus  the  sun-god  sits,  with  a 
look  of  inefifable  divinity  upon  his  face.  Marvel- 
lous creation  of  transcendent  genius — that  Aurora 
Guido  Reni  wrought!" 

And  your  hearers  think  they  appreciate  it,  and 
take  it  in.  But  they  don't  begin  to  comprehend 
it.  By  and  by  one  of  them  goes  to  the  Eternal 
City,  and  stands  in  the  Rospigliosi  Palace,  and  the 
Aurora  is  flaming  overhead.  And  he  looks  up  in 
rapture,  and  he  weeps,  and  says,  "I  never  dreamed 
the  Aurora  of  Guido  was  such  a  marvellous  crea- 
tion as  this.  Until  a  man  sees  this,  he  does  not 
realize  what  painter's  art  can  do." 

So  with  John,  in  his  descriptions  of  Heaven. 
He  has  seemed  to  see  and  hear  a  little  of  it.  And 
he  is  trying  to  describe  it;  but  he  can't.  All  his 
efforts  are  in  vain.  Almost  everything  we  know 
is  employed  to  kindle  our  imagination — the  city, 
the  sea,  palaces,  gardens,  trees,  flowing  fountains, 
fruits,  candlesticks,  robes,  palms,  harps,  crowns, 
precious  stones,  light,  the  colours  of  the  rainbow, 
music,  knowledge,  friendship,  holiness,  and  the 
presence  of  God.  But  they  cannot  convey  the 
mighty  idea.  We  are  told  that  the  reality  goes 
vastly  beyond  our  fondest  imaginations.  For,  not 
only  as  regards  its  holiness,  happiness,  wisdom, 


20  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

and  majesty,  but  its  beauty  too,  we  say,  "Eye  hath 
not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  have  entered  into 
the  heart  of  man,  the  things  which  God  hath  pre- 
pared for  them  that  Ipve  him;  but  he  hath  re- 
vealed them  unto  us  by  his  Spirit."  Yet  now 
"through  a  glass  darkly;"  and,  in  part,  through 
this  vision  of  "the  holy  city.  New  Jerusalem," 
which  John  saw  "coming  down  from  God  out  of 
Heaven,  prepared  as  a  bride  adorned  for  her  hus- 
band." 


CHAPTER  II 

IN  THE  FUTURE  STATE,  WILL  THERE  BE  DIFFERENT 
DEGREES  OF  GLORY? 

"There  is  one  glory  of  the  sun,  and  another 
glory  of  the  moon,  and  another  glory  of  the  stars : 
for  one  star  differeth  from  another  star  in  glory. 
So  also  is  the  resurrection  of  the  dead."  (I.  Cor. 
15;  41-42). 

When  we  reach  the  other  world,  will  the  hap- 
piness of  all  be  equal;  or  will  there  be  degrees  of 
glory,  as  there  are  differences  in  our  fortunes 
here?  As  we  survey  the  society  of  earth,  we  find 
men  in  conditions  the  most  diverse.  There  are  the 
different  forms  of  religion.  And,  even  under 
Christianity  itself,  many  are  cold,  others  luke- 
warm, while  but  a  few  are  shining  lights.  There 
are  the  different  racial  types  and  characteristics, 
interminably  diversified.  The  various  forms  of 
government;  and,  among  them,  so  many  different 
stations.  The  multiform  strata  of  society,  with 
different  privileges  and  principles.  Different  do- 
mestic atmospheres,  representing  every  sort  of  in- 

21 


22  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

fluence  that  can  affect  a  human  life.  The  multi- 
farious mental  abilities,  aptitudes,  and  peculiari- 
ties of  spirit  or  disposition.  The  different  physi- 
cal temperaments.  Different  measures  of  educa- 
tion. There  are  the  influences  of  marriage  and 
celibacy,  wealth  and  indigence,  and  innumerable 
spheres  of  industry.  All  these  and  other  things 
mould  our  lives;  producing  phases  of  humanity 
which  are  radically,  endlessly,  and  infinitely  varied. 
No  two  persons  can  be  found  exactly  alike.  Hence 
naturally  arises  the  question,  how  will  it  be  in  the 
world  to  come.  And  many  passages  of  Scripture 
indicate  that  God  "will  render  to  every  man  ac- 
cording to  his  deeds." 

IN  THE  FUTURE  STATE  THERE  WILL  BE  DIFFER- 
ENT DEGREES  OF  GLORY,  CORRESPONDING  TO  MEN'S 
CHARACTERS  AND  CAREERS  ON  EARTH. 

I.  Now,  First,  it  cannot  for  a  moment  be  ob- 
jected that  this  doctrine  in  the  least  collides  with 
the  fact  that  no  man  is  ever  saved  by  his  own 
works,  but  that  all  are  saved  by  grace.  We  are 
saved  through  the  infinitely  meritorious  passive 
and  active  work  of  the  Mediator;  His  vicarious 
sufferings  and  the  sacrificial  blood  of  His  great 
atonement,  His  perfect  righteousness  and  spotless 
holiness,  all  being  imputed  to  us  and  received  by 
faith  alone.  Only  Christ  can  save.  If  we  have 
genuine  faith  in  Him,  which  is  proved  by  obedi- 


DIFFERENT  DEGREES  OF  GLORY?  23 

ence,  we  shall  receive  eternal  life.  But  our  honour 
and  happiness  in  that  life  very  much  depend  upon 
the  extent  to  which  our  faith  has  shown  fertility  in 
works.  While  the  Saviour's  free  gift  is  the  source 
of  it  all,  the  amount  of  blessedness  zvhich  will  follozv 
redemption,  is  largely  determined  by  the  fidelity 
with  which  each  believer  has  obeyed  and  honoured 
the  Redeemer. 

It  is  like  this.  A  large  land-owner  says  to  his 
young  friends,  who  want  a  start  in  life,  "Young 
men,  if  you  will  settle  down  on  these  broad  fields 
of  mine,  and  till  them  well;  I  will  give  each  one  of 
you  a  legal  title  to  all  the  land  that  he  can  culti- 
vate, so  it  shall  become  the  property  of  him  and 
his  forever."  Now  is  it  not  a  gift,  voluntarily  of- 
fered, and  without  compensation — this  farm  each 
one  receives?  Mere  acceptance  is  the  sole  condi- 
tion upon  which  it  is  bestowed.  No  one  earned 
it.  Yet  the  amount  of  each  one's  share  in  that 
estate,  depends  entirely  upon  himself.  If  he  can 
break  up  50  acres,  those  50  will  be  his.  If  he  can 
reclaim  100,  they  will  to  him  belong.  Or  if,  by 
diligence  untiring,  he  takes  up  500,  those  500 
will  be  all  his  own. 

Or  another  illustration,  to  exhibit  this  same 
principle.  Here  is  a  great  university,  munificently 
endowed,  conducted  after  methods  the  most  ap- 
proved, and  affording  every  facility  for  study.  Its 
circulars  are  scattered  o'er  the  land,  proclaiming 
to  the  youth,  "If  you  will  come  to  us,  and  obey 


24  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

our  rules,  you  shall  gratuitously  enjoy  all  the  privi- 
leges of  this  institution."  So  students  thither 
flock.  Every  promise  is  faithfully  fulfilled.  It  costs 
them  nothing.  All  have  equal  privileges,  and  the 
fullest  opportunity.  But,  the  amount  of  intellec- 
tual advantage  which  each  one  actually  derives 
from  the  study,  depends  upon  himself.  And  there 
are  special  rewards  to  be  secured  by  special  abili- 
ties, attainments,  and  application.  Thus  at  last  the 
idler,  who  has  droned  and  dragged,  shall  come  out 
least.  And  so  up  through  every  grade,  to  the 
eagle  intellect;  who,  toiling  restlessly,  with  insa- 
tiate thirst  for  truth,  has  manfully  done  his  best, 
till  now,  with  noble  powers  splendid  in  their  per- 
fect discipline,  rich  accumulated  stores  of  knowl- 
edge, valued  scholarships,  and  laurels  not  a  few, 
he  comes  forth  magnificently  equipped  for  life. 
Everything  was  gratuitous.  Yet  each  one,  accord- 
ing to  his  deeds,  obtained  profit  and  reward. 

In  a  manner  precisely  similar,  it  is  of  God's  un- 
merited love  we  are  received  into  the  Kingdom. 
Yet,  according  to  each  man's  deeds  on  earth,  and 
his  desert,  shall  be  the  lustre  of  his  crown. 

11,  Note  next  some  arguments  to  prove  that 
this  is  so. 

I.  All  analogies  from  every  known  department 
of  the  universe,  cause  a  tremendous  antecedent 
presumption  in  favour  of  the  view  that  there  must 
be  these  different  degrees  of  glory.     For  the  en- 


DIFFERENT  DEGREES  OF  GLORY?  25 

tire  cosmos,  so  far  as  we  have  any  knowledge  of 
it;  exhibits  innumerable,  inexhaustible  diversities 
of  shapes,  manifestations,  developments,  and  rela- 
tions. 

In  the  organic  world,  i.  e.,  the  world  of  things 
that  have  life,  there  are  manifold  varieties  of  type 
and  form.  In  the  vegetable  kingdom,  among  the 
specimens  that  constitute  each  species,  there  are 
interminable  individualizations  and  diversities  of 
detail.  Even  among  a  lot  of  minute  seeds  of  a 
given  herb,  there  are  no  two  exactly  alike.  The 
microscope  reveals  differences.  Numberless  forms 
of  leaf  and  flower,  of  plant  and  shrub  and  tree; 
through  all  genera  and  species,  both  those  fossil 
and  those  living.  So  through  the  animal  kingdom, 
with  insect,  fish,  beast,  and  fowl;  through  all  genera 
and  all  species,  whether  fossil  or  now  living. 

Like  variety  through  the  inanimate,  inorganic 
universe;  which  is  the  basis  and  theatre  of  all  or- 
ganic life.  Many  chemical  elements.  And  we 
cannot  affirm  that  there  is  uniformity  even  among 
the  atoms  of  any  one  element.  Then  there  is 
limitless  diversity  of  the  inorganic  compounds. 
Variety  in  the  grains  of  dust  that  float  in  the  sun- 
light, in  the  pebbles  on  the  beach,  in  the  waves 
upon  the  shore,  in  the  boulders  upon  the  mountain 
side,  in  the  contour  of  the  everlasting  hills  them- 
selves, in  the  torrents  upon  their  slopes,  and  the 
clouds  above  their  foreheads.     In  the  stars  and 


26  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

constellations,  "One  star  differeth  from  another 
star  in  glory." 

And  Paulsen,  developing  certain  principles  of 
ethics,  brings  out  the  point,  that  the  value  of  a 
life  depends  upon  the  number  of  the  elements 
which  it  contains;  that  the  type  of  life  exhibiting 
variety  is  far  higher  than  any  merely  uniform 
type.  "We  cannot  speak  of  one  perfect  life,  A 
people  or  race  consisting  of  totally  similar  copies 
of  a  perfect  original  pattern,  would  strike  us  as  an 
infinitely  poor  and  empty  affair.  Nay,  the  very 
thought  of  such  a  thing  is  horrible.  Imagine  a 
multitude  of  human  beings  wholly  alike  as  to  their 
inner  nature  and  life,  differing  from  each  other 
only  in  the  numbers  attached  to  them.  Perfection 
consists  not  in  similarity,  but  in  variety,  of  forms."* 
The  same  thing  would  be  true  about  a  throng  of 
human  beings  exactly  alike  in  their  physical  na- 
ture and  appearance.  Their  uniformity  would  be 
most  wearisome.  This  would  be  still  more  true 
about  an  assemblage  alike  in  both  inward  and  out- 
ward nature.  Their  monotony  would  prove  intol- 
erable. And  this  would  be  especially  true  about 
the  myriads  of  the  glorified  in  the  other  world. 

And  inspiration  plainly  teaches  that,  correspon- 
dent with  this  great  principle  which  seems  uni- 
versal elsewhere;  there  are,  among  the  redeemed, 
these  differences  of  character  and  estate.  Daniel 
brings  this  out  by  implication.     He  says,  "They 

*  Paulsen's    "Ethics,"    page   18. 


DIFFERENT  DEGREES  OF  GLORY?  27 

that  be  wise  shall  shine  as  the  sun,  and  they  that 
turn  many  to  righteousness  as  the  stars  forever 
and  ever."  (Dan.  12;  3).  But,  among  the  celestial 
spheres,  there  is  diversity  in  size,  circuit,  and 
splendour.  This  implies  that  there  must  be  dif- 
ferent degrees  of  honour  among  glorified  saints. 
And  Paul's  familiar  language  states  the  principle 
in  the  most  unqualified  terms.  "There  is  one  glory 
of  the  sun,  another  glory  of  the  moon,  and  another 
glory  of  the  stars;  for  one  star  dif^ereth  from  an- 
other star  in  glory.  So  also  is  the  resurrection  of 
the  dead." 

All  this  seems  to  be  strictly  in  harmony  with 
the  recognized  character  of  the  Deity.  For  the 
divine  mind  never  seems  exactly  to  repeat  itself  in 
its  works  of  creation.  It  forever  exhibits  diversity 
of  operations.  It  appears  to  be  inexhaustible  in 
fertility  and  originality,  in  the  infinitely  and  eter- 
nally varied  forms  it  produces,  throughout  both 
the  world  of  matter  and  the  world  of  mind. 

And,  in  His  works,  the  Creator  but  reflects 
something  of  His  own  constitution.  For,  though 
"There  are  three  persons  in  the  Godhead,  the  same 
in  substance,  equal  in  power  and  glory;"  yet,  even 
in  the  Trinity,  each  person  is  represented  as  per- 
forming certain  functions  of  office  work  peculiarly 
his  own,  and  belonging  to  him  rather  than  to  the 
other  two. 

2.  Men  enter  the  other  world  with  such  widely 
diverse  characters  and  mental  capacities,  it  would 


28  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

seem  almost  impossible  for  them  ever  to  be  in  the 
same  plane  of  honour. 

It  is  evident  at  a  glance  that,  in  the  society  of 
earth,  is  found  the  greatest  diversity  of  individual 
endowments.  One  person  has  scarcely  any  mind 
at  the  outset,  when  he  is  born.  He  can  compre- 
hend nothing  save  the  simplest  truth.  He  has  no 
play  of  thought,  no  power  of  penetration.  But 
another  has  received  from  Heaven  gifts  of  the 
highest  order.  Brilliant,  magnificent  capacities  are 
his. 

The  Bible  presents  this  fact  in  the  parable  of 
the  talents.  One  man  had  five  talents;  another, 
but  two;  and  the  third  had  only  one.  When  the 
account  was  rendered;  he  who  had  received  five 
talents  brought  five  more,  and  he  who  had  two 
talents  brought  other  two.  And  both  received  the 
promise  that  they  should  be  rulers  over  many 
things.  But  obviously  it  was  impossible  for  the 
man  with  one  talent  to  accomplish  so  much  as 
if  he  had  had  five  talents. 

Mr.  Galton,  in  his  book  on  Hereditary  Genius, 
brings  out  the  point  in  a  scientific  way.  He  says 
that  there  are  some  men  who  possess  only  one- 
half,  or  one-third,  or  even  a  less  fraction,  of  the 
average  intelligence.  Then  there  are  men  whose 
endowments  greatly  exceed  that  average.  He  il- 
lustrates it  thus.  At  the  English  University  ex- 
aminations, there  is  set  a  long  series  of  mathemati- 
cal problems  to  be  solved.     Correct  solution  of 


DIFFERENT  DEGREES  OF  GLORY?  29 

each  one  entitles  the  student  to  a  certain  number 
of  marks.  The  person  who  falls  lowest  in  the  list 
stands  far  above  the  average  of  men,  because  he 
has  had  a  university  education.  He  will  receive 
perhaps  300  marks.  He  who  stands  highest  on 
the  roll  (the  Senior  Wrangler)  may  obtain  9,000 
marks — 30  times  as  many.  All  the  students  have 
the  same  length  of  time  in  which  to  pass  examina- 
tion. And  this  test  indicates  that  the  Senior 
Wrangler  has,  "in  that  given  period,  been  able  to 
accomplish  thirty  times  as  much  intellectual  work 
as  his  competitor. 

And  there  may  of  course  be  these  same  endless 
graduations,  not  only  in  mathematical  gifts,  but  in 
other  mental  powers  also.  Even  in  capacity  to 
enjoy  music  or  beauty.  One  person  finds  very 
little  pleasure  in  an  exquisite  song  or  a  splendid 
painting.  Another  goes  into  perfect  ecstacies 
over  that  same  thing.  Then  there  are  those  rare 
phenomenal  brains  with  powers  so  transcendent, 
that  only  one  or  two  men  of  this  type  appear  in 
a  century,  or  in  a  millennium.  Thus  Macaulay 
said  that  in  the  seventeenth  century  there  were 
but  two  great  creative  minds — John  Milton  and 
John  Bunyan.  And  St.  Augustine  has  been  called 
the  mightiest  theologian  the  Church  produced  for 
a  thousand  years. 

Moreover  the  man  of  deficient  mental  powers 
may  not  have  the  means  for  training  what  little 
talent  he  possesses.    Life  is  taken  up  with  earning 


30  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

his  daily  bread,  so  he  lives  little  more  than  a  mere 
animal  existence.  While  to  his  supremely  gifted 
fellow,  favouring  Providence  affords  opportunities 
for  gaining  the  most  consummate  culture.  And 
he  goes  on  improving,  becoming  stronger  and 
clearer  in  his  intellectual  might,  till  he  can  scale 
the  loftiest  summits  ever  attained  by  human 
thought.  He  so  towers  above  ordinary  human 
kind  that  he  himself  seems  scarcely  human.  He 
may  be  a  Shakespeare,  in  vision  and  faculty  divine 
a  poet  unsurpassed;  or  a  Herschel,  with  intellect 
of  stupendous  grasp,  weighing  the  planets,  meas- 
uring their  orbits  and  the  forces  which  rule  their 
flight.  And,  with  each  passing  year,  he  grows 
mightier  and  more  mighty. 

Suppose  now  that  both  these  types  of  men  are 
Christians;  and  that,  in  piety,  there  exists  the  same 
difference  between  them  as  in  intellect  and  educa- 
tion. When  they  die,  will  it  be  possible  for  both 
to  enjoy  the  same  amount  of  happiness  and  glory? 
Will  not  their  capacities  in  Heaven  be  far  apart, 
somewhat  as  they  were  on  earth  ?  So  there  must, 
of  necessity,  be  a  difference  in  their  respective 
states?  Equality  seems  impossible.  And,  even 
with  the  endless  expansion  which  is  before  them, 
they  may  become  equal  never. 

Of  course  no  human  being  has  anything  to  say 
about  who  his  parents  shall  be,  about  the  question 
of  sex,  about  when  he  will  be  born,  where  he  first 
will  see  the  light,  what  environment  shall  surround 


DIFFERENT  DEGREES  OF  GLORY?  31 

him  upon  his  entrance  into  Hfe,  or  what  influences 
shall  overshadow  his  earliest  years.  So  neither 
has  he  any  power  to  determine  in  any  way  as  to 
the  natural  talents,  abilities,  and  endowments 
which  shall  be  his.  Thus,  prior  to  any  work  of 
the  divine  grace  in  giving  a  man  salvation  in  the 
other  world,  there  is  first  an  unquestionable  exer- 
cise of  God's  foreordination  in  determining  the 
number  and  character  of  the  talents  with  which 
that  man  shall  come  upon  the  theatre  of  action  in 
this  world.  Thus  the  divine  sovereignty  appears 
first  in  operation;  prior  even  to  saving  grace,  and 
before  there  can  be  any  exercise  of  human  free- 
dom or  display  of  human  effort  in  any  direction. 

3.  Again.  There  are  different  degrees  of  pun- 
ishment. At  the  judgment  day,  all  will  be  divided 
into  two  great  classes;  eternal  pleasure  being  the 
lot  of  one,  while  to  the  other  comes  punishment 
eternal.  But  the  Bible  positively  shows  that,  in 
different  cases,  this  punishment  will  range  through 
different  degrees.  Christ's  language  proves  this 
beyond  all  peradventure.  For  He  asserts  that  pre- 
sumptuous sins  shall  be  more  severely  dealt  with 
than  those  committed  in  ignorance  that  they  were 
sins.  "That  servant  which  knew  his  Lord's  will, 
neither  did  according  to  his  will,,  shall  be  beaten 
with  many  stripes.  But  he  that  knew  not,  and  did 
commit  things  worthy  of  stripes,  shall  be  beaten 
with  few  stripes."    (Luke  12;  47-48).    And  when 


32  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

the  Master  exercised  on  earth  the  prerogative 
which  He  will  claim  at  the  last  day,  of  pronouncing 
judgment  upon  the  disobedient,  it  was,  "Woe  unto 
thee,  Chorazin !  woe  unto  thee,  Bethsaida !  for  if 
the  mighty  works  which  were  done  in  you  had 
been  done  in  Tyre  and  Sidon,  they  would  have  re- 
pented. *  *  *  it;  shall  be  more  tolerable  for  Tyre 
and  Sidon  at  the  day  of  judgment  than  for  you. 
And  thou  Capernaum,  *  *  *  j^  shall  be  more  toler- 
able for  the  land  of  Sodom  in  the  day  of  judgment 
than  for  thee."  (Matt,  ii;  21-24).  This  is  proof 
conclusive  that,  while  each  suffers,  there  are  dis- 
tinctions in  the  recompense  which  they  receive. 

The  pagan,  degraded,  ferocious,  and  idolatrous; 
we  may  readily  condemn,  as  the  Bible  condemns 
him.  Like  the  heathen  of  Sodom,  he  is  to  perish. 
But  in  the  future  state,  he  will  be  judged  accord- 
ing to  the  light  he  had.  And  the  man  who,  though 
so  moral,  intelligent,  refined  and  friendly,  (because 
brought  under  Christian  influences),  rejects  Christ; 
we  also  condemn,  as  the  Bible  condemns  him.  Like 
the  moralists  of  Capernaum,  he  also  is  to  be  lost. 
But  he  shall  endure  severer  punishment  than  the 
barbarian.  Because  the  savage  sinned  scarce 
knowing  that  he  was  sinning.  But  the  latter,  un- 
derstanding well  his  duty,  despised  the  riches  of 
redeeming  love. 

Now  this  divine  justice,  which,  among  different 
grades  of  sin,  assigns  to  each  its  proportionate  pen- 
alty in  weight  of  woe;  must,  when  applied  on  the 


DIFFERENT  DEGREES  OF  GLORY?  33 

other  side,  to  different  degrees  of  holiness,  appoint 
proportionate  measures  of  happiness  and  honour. 
For  him  who,  at  the  very  close  of  life,  comes  to 
seek  salvation,  when  but  a  little  span  of  time  re- 
mains, and  it  is  now  too  late  to  give  and  do  much 
for  the  Master;  there  may  be  great  joy.  But, 
where  another  has  consecrated  all  his  days  to  holy 
living;  where  that  servant  striving,  sacrificing,  suf- 
fering, has  cheerfully  born  toils  and  trials;  so  his 
career  has  been  like  one  incessant  anthem  of  de- 
votion :  shall  not  such  a  saint  receive  a  greater 
share  of  Heaven  than  the  former  one  can  know? 
For  the  penitent  thief,  who  comes  at  the  last  mo- 
ment to  give  himself  to  Christ,  there  is  great  bless- 
edness. But,  must  there  not  be  rewards  far 
greater  and  more  unutterably  magnificent  for  the 
Apostle  Paul?  All  this  is  in  accordance  with  our 
natural  human  sense  of  equity  and  of  the  fitness  of 
things,  as  well  as  with  the  teaching  of  God's  Word. 

4.  The  Church  Triumphant  has  a  special  con- 
stitution; with  many  different  members,  perform- 
ing different  of^ces.  The  Church  here  on  earth 
is  called  the  mystic  body  of  Christ.  And  Chris- 
tians are  called  members  of  that  body.  "Now  ye 
are  the  body  of  Christ,  and  members  in  particular." 
(I.  Cor.  12;  2f).  There  are  diversities  of  gifts, 
duties,  operations,  and  administrations.  All  mem- 
bers, even  of  moderate  ability,  have  their  places. 
Each   member   is   equipped   for   his   work.     And 


34  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

some  members  are  more  honourable  than  others. 
In  the  other  world  these  saints  are  still  forever 
members  of  the  body  of  Christ.  Hence  in  that 
world  there  must  be  different  ofifices,  functions, 
and  degrees  of  glory. 

Now  that,  sometimes  at  least,  our  characters 
there  will  remain  measurably  unchanged,  similar 
to  what  they  were  on  earth;  and  that  our  careers 
on  earth  will  directly  determine  the  nature  of  our 
reception  into  the  other  world;  seems  to  be  indi- 
cated not  obscurely  by  the  fact  that  Enoch  and 
Elijah  were  taken  directly  up  from  earth  to  Heaven 
without  experiencing  death. 

This  idea  is  as  old  as  the  day  of  Socrates,  that, 
when  men  pass  to  the  other  life,  they  retain, 
to  some  extent,  the  peculiar  traits  and  characters 
that  marked  them  here.  The  mathematician  will 
still  be  logical  in  thought,  the  poet  still  soar  in 
fancy  and  imagination.  So  when  the  ancient  bards 
described  Elysium,  where  the  spirits  of  the  blest 
M^ere  gathered;  they  represented  the  departed 
shades  as  doing  each  one  what  he  had  loved  to  do 
on  earth.  The  statesman  was  issuing  his  code  of 
laws,  the  orator  addressing  his  spectral  audience, 
the  warrior  marshalling  his  hosts.  This  idea  is  not 
given  as  the  Scriptural  statement  of  what  men's 
occupations  are  in  the  other  world;  but  to  show 
how  universal  the  belief  has  been  that,  as  on  this 
side  of  the  grave,  so  on  the  other,  men  of  different 
characters  are  in  positions  to  correspond. 


DIFFERENT  DEGREES  OF  GLORY?  35 

For  this  old  pagan  notion  that  the  part  a  man 
plays  on  earth  will  have  an  immediate  influence 
upon  the  determination  of  his  state  in  Heaven,  was 
a  judgment  of  human  reason  which  happened  to 
accord  with  the  arrangement  which  the  divine 
reason  has  made  in  the  world  above.  For  the  Bible 
in  many  ways  develops  a  substantially  similar  prin- 
ciple. Thus  Moses  was  called  by  God  to  stand  be-  , 
tween  Himself  and  Israel  as  the  lawgiver  and  the 
leader.  He  was  an  extraordinary  man,  raised  up 
to  perform  a  conspicuous  mission,  in  delivering  the 
chosen  people  from  their  prison  house  in  Egypt. 
Elijah  was  another  wonder  in  the  Hebrew  history, 
also  sent  by  God  for  a  specific  purpose.  For,  in 
the  days  of  Ahab,  when  the  Jews  became  apostate, 
he  was  the  means  of  restoring  them  once  more 
from  their  sins. 

Now,  when  Christ  was  transfigured.  His  disciples 
saw  with  Him  these  two  great  men  of  the  olden 
time.  Irrespective  of  its  other  meanings,  does  not 
this  fact  seem  to  show  that  those  two  personalities, 
chosen  and  remarkably  equipped  by  God  for  ex- 
traordinary careers  on  earth,  now  in  Heaven  are 
receiving  special  suitable  rewards  and  honours? 
It  seems  perfectly  certain  that  their  missions  on 
earth  had  much  to  do  with  determining  the  parts 
they  were  playing  then  in- Heaven,  and  as  visitors 
from  Heaven. 

Certainly  those  two  men  were  elected  by  God 
for  the  careers  they  had  on  earth.    But  it  is  equally 


36  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

certain  that  many  other  men  were  elected  by  God, 
in  the  same  manner,  for  particular  missions  here 
below.  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  were  to  exe- 
cute specially  important  functions  in  developing 
the  chosen  family  of  the  Old  Testament.  And 
the  prophets  were  called  to  perform  roles  of  special 
prominence  in  Jewish  history.  So  they  seem  to 
be  represented  as  having  special  recognition  and 
importance  in  Heaven.  They  appear  as  leading 
personaHties  in  the  celestial  city.  'T  say  unto  you 
that  many  shall  come  from  the  east  and  west,  and 
shall  sit  down  with  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob 
in  the  kingdom  of  heaven."     (Matt.  8;  ii). 

The  Twelve  Patriarchs  play  special  parts  in  the 
Old  Testament  Church,  and  the  Twelve  Apostles 
do  the  same  in  the  New  Testament  Church.  And 
the  latter  received  a  special  promise  of  distinction 
in  the  future  kingdom  of  Christ.  "I  appoint  unto 
you  a  kingdom,  as  my  father  hath  appointed  unto 
me;  that  ye  may  eat  and  drink  at  my  table  in  my 
kingdom,  and  sit  on  thrones  judging  the  twelve 
tribes  of  Israel."  The  phrase  "twelve  tribes  of 
Israel,"  here  seems  to  be  a  figurative  expression 
for  the  church  glorified.  And  the  'sitting  on 
thrones,"  seems  to  mean  the  enjoyment  of  special 
prominence.  And,  in  the  church  glorified,  "Round 
about  the  throne  were  four  and  twenty  seats;  and 
upon  the  seats  I  saw  four  and  twenty  elders  sit- 
ting," etc.  Here  certainly  are  positions  of  corres- 
ponding prominence  in  the  church  of  the  other 


DIFFERENT  DEGREES  OF  GLORY?  37 

world.  And  some  scholars  have  believed  the  per- 
sons occupying  these  seats  were  intended  to  rep- 
resent the  Patriarchs  and  Apostles.  Though  of 
course  John,  when  he  sees  this  vision,  is  still  on 
earth.  Thus  special  missions  here  may  lead  to  spe- 
cial stations  in  Heaven.  Particular  services  here 
may  lead  to  particular  rewards  there. 

And,  in  appointing  or  allowing  those  missions 
and  those  services,  of  course  it  must  be  conceded 
that  the  divine  sovereignty  and  divine  grace  pre- 
ceded all  human  effort.  "Now  God  hath  set  the 
members  every  one  in  the  body,  as  it  hath  pleased 
him."    (I.  Cor.  12;  18). 

5.  But  again.  There  is  another  most  conclusive 
argument  from  the  fact  that  the  Biblical  descrip- 
tions of  celestial  beings  represent  them  as  having 
different  degrees  of  glory  and  different  manifesta- 
tions. This  is  evident  from  the  names  which  are 
given  to  them,  terms  implying  diversity  of  order; 
showing  that  these  holy  spirits  have  not  all  one 
rank.  They  have  power  and  authority;  so  they 
are  called,  some  princes,  others  potentates,  others 
rulers  of  the  world,  whatever  grades  those  words 
denote.  "Thrones,  principalities,  powers  and 
mights."  (Col.  i;  16,  Eph.  i;  21,  Rom.  8;  38). 
"Chief  princes."  (Dan.  10;  13).  There  are  other 
orders  still,  the  seraphim  and  cherubim.  There  is 
Gabriel,  who  is  declared  to  stand  in  the  presence 
of  God,  and  evidently  in  a  pre-eminent  way.  There 


38  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

is  another  creature  of  the  very  highest  rank,  the 
warrior  angel,  who  leads  the  armies  of  the  skies. 
For  Revelation  tells  us  that  when  "there  was  war 
in  Heaven,  Michael  and  his  angels  fought  against 
the  dragon,  and  the  dragon  fought  and  his 
angels,  *  *  *  and  the  dragon  was  cast  out,  that  old 
serpent  called  the  devil,  *  *  *  and  his  angels  were 
cast  out  with  him."  (Rev.  12;  7-9).  There  are 
"the  prince  of  Persia,"  and  "the  prince  of  Grecia." 
(Dan.  10;  20).  These  different  titles  indicate  that 
there  are  spirits  of  many  a  grade,  various  in  intelli- 
gence, influence,  power,  duties,  offices,  and  func- 
tions. 

But  many  of  these  innumerable  myriads  who 
tread  the  celestial  courts  are  spirits  of  departe4 
saints,  now  employed,  as  previously  on  earth,  in 
executing  the  will  of  God.  They  surround  their 
ruler  on  His  throne,  to  recognize  His  majesty,  ever 
attentive  to  His  orders  given;  watching  over  the 
individuals  or  nations  entrusted  to  their  charge; 
ministering  to  believers,  and,  when  death  shall 
come,  leading  their  souls  to  the  blest  abodes 
above;  each  in  the  sphere  allotted,  discharging  the 
duties  that  on  him  devolve. 

Was  it  not  this  actual  state  of  things  which 
John  in  his  vision  saw?  "I  looked,  and  a  door 
was  opened  in  Heaven,  and  the  voice  which  I 
heard  said,  'Come  up  hither,  and  I  will  show  thee 
things  which  must  be  hereafter.'  And  immediately 
I  was  in  the  Spirit,  and  behold  a  throne  was  set  in 


DIFFERENT  DEGREES  OF  GLORY?  39 

heaven,  and  one  sat  on  the  throne,  *  *  *  and 
round  about  the  throne  were  four  and  twenty 
seats;  and  upon  the  seats  I  saw  four  and  twenty 
elders  sitting,  clothed  in  white  raiment,  and  they 
had  crowns  of  gold.  *  *  *  And  round  about  the 
throne  were  four  living  creatures,*  full  of  eyes 
*  *  *  and  they  rest  not  day  and  night  saying.  Holy, 
holy,  holy,  Lord  God  Almighty."  (Rev.  4). 
"After  this  I  looked,  and  lo,  a  great  multitude, 
which  no  man  could  number,  stood  before  the 
throne,  clothed  with  white  robes,  and  palms  in 
their  hands  *  *  *,  and  one  of  the  elders  said  unto 
me,  'These  are  they  that  came  out  of  great  tribu- 
lation, and  have  washed  their  robes,  and  made 
them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.'  "     (Rev. 

7;  4-14). 

What  did  John  here  behold,  save  the  hierarchy 
of  Heaven,  with  its  different  ranks — the  King  eter- 
nal; about  Him  those  who  were  most  honoured  in 
His  kingdom;  then  the  rest,  the  great  body  of  the 
redeemed,  whose  shining  raiment  now  was  con- 
trasted with  the  darkness  of  the  trials  they  had 
endured. 

And,  from  such  representations  of  the  names, 
nature,  orders,  and  oiHces  of  spirits;  theologians 
have,  in  all  ages,  been  irresistibly  led  to  the  belief 
that  human  beings,  in  their  future  state,  will  enjoy 
each  his  peculiar  place,  performing  in  that  place, 
the  peculiar  part  prepared  for  him,  and  enjoying 

♦  Word  used  In  the  Revised  Version. 


40  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

his  peculiar  pleasure.    Calvin  asserts  that  the  Bible 
indisputably  teaches  this. 

6.  To  different  degrees  of  piety,  are  promised 
different  degrees  of  honour. 

For  it  should  not  be  supposed  that  this  deter- 
mination of  the  future  rewards  of  men  is  an  en- 
tirely arbitrary  thing,  dependent  solely  upon  the 
inscrutable  decrees  of  God.  While  we  must  recog- 
nize His  sovereignty  as  underlying  it;  yet  within 
the  bounds  of  time,  place,  power,  and  environ- 
ment, which  He  has  set,  there  is  allowed  ample 
scope  for  the  manifestation  of  individual  merit.  It 
is  largely  within  our  power  to  determine  what  de- 
grees of  piety  we  will  attain.  And  it  is  the  plain 
declaration  of  Scripture  that  different  grades  of 
sanctity  and  service  shall  receive  commensurate 
rewards. 

The  Psalmist  says,  "Thou  renderest  to  every 
man  according  to  his  work."  (Psalm  62;  12).  The 
apostle  says,  "We  must  all  appear  before  the  judg- 
ment seat  of  Christ;  that  every  one  may  receive 
the  things  done  in  his  body,  according  to  that 
he  hath  done,  whether  it  be  good  or  bad."  (H. 
Cor.  5;  18).  The  evangelist  says,  "For  the  Son 
of  man  shall  come  in  the  glory  of  his  Father  with 
his  angels;  and  then  he  shall  render  every  man  ac- 
cording to  his  works."  (Matt.  16:27).  And  Paul 
predicts  "the  righteous  judgment  of  God;  who  will 
render  to   every   man   according   to  his   works." 


DIFFERENT  DEGREES  OF  GLORY?  41 

(Romans  2;  5-6).  And  the  judge  upon  the  throne 
says,  "I  will  give  unto  every  one  of  you  according 
to  your  works."  (Rev.  2;  23).  "Behold  I  come 
quickly;  and  my  reward  is  with  me,  to  give  every 
man  according  as  his  work  shall  be."  (Rev.  22; 
18).  And  John,  in  his  vision,  beheld  the  judgment 
scene  in  which  the  dead  received  recompense  ac- 
cording to  their  works.  "And  I  saw  the  dead 
small  and  great  stand  before  God;  and  the  books 
were  opened.  And  another  book  was  opened, 
which  is  the  book  of  life;  and  the  dead  were 
judged  out  of  those  things  which  were  written  in 
the  books,  according  to  their  works."  Rev. 
20;  12). 

Thus,  while  to  the  redeemed  there  shall  be  In- 
numerable degrees  of  glory,  majesty,  and  beauty; 
all  this  shall  be  according  to  their  desert.  And 
this  accords  with  our  human  sense  of  justice  in 
such  a  matter. 

Though  comparative  unfaithfulness  will  of 
course  tend  to  lessen  our  possibilities;  and,  even  if 
we  reach  Heaven  at  all,  will  limit  our  capacity  for 
glory  and  enjoyment  there;  fidelity  will  increase 
our  aptitude  for  service,  and  enhance  our  future 
glory.  In  the  parable  of  the  pounds,  the  master 
gave  to  all  the  servants  one  single  pound  apiece. 
All  had  equal  capital.  And,  as  the  reckoning  was 
made,  one  servant  with  his  individual  pound  had 
gained  five  others.  Another,  with  his  solitary 
pound,  had  gained  ten  pounds  more.     So,  in  this 


42  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

case,  by  great  diligence,  one  servant  had  increased 
his  capital  five-fold;  but  another  had  increased  his 
ten-fold.  When  we  feel  despondent  about  our 
natural  gifts,  let  this  thought  redouble  our  earnest- 
ness and  zeal.  Faithfulness  increases  power  and 
possibility.  And  there  is  encouragement  for  those 
of  lowliest  power  in  most  limited  place.  Since  all 
cannot  be  like  Moses,  or  Elijah,  or  the  apostle 
Paul,  does  some  humble  believer  mourn  over  the 
restrictions  of  his  sphere?  But  nothing  done  for 
Christ  shall  pass  unheeded.  The  cup  of  cold 
water,  given  to  a  disciple  in  the  Master's  name, 
brings  its  own  mete  reward.  And  some  humble 
office  done  to  exalt  him,  may  win  unfading  recog- 
nition; as  the  ointment  of  spikenard  poured  on 
Jesus's  feet  by  the  poor  woman,  gained  the  assur- 
ance that,  wherever  Christ's  gospel  might  be 
known,  this  act  should  be  told  for  a  memorial  of 
her.  And  some  person  in  obscure  position,  who 
has  there  served  faithfully,  may  receive  especial 
notice.  "Those  members  of  the  body  which  we 
think  to  be  less  honourable,"  upon  these  may  be 
bestowed  "more  abundant  honour." 

Most  stimulating  is  this  thought!  How  it  fos- 
ters faith,  obedience,  and  lofty  endeavour !  A  man 
with  great  capacities,  but  little  consecration;  may 
not  attain  so  high  a  place  as  he  of  small  capacity, 
and  great  devotion.  But  there  may  be  great  abili- 
ties, great  opportunities,  and  great  consecration 
all  combined.     And  Paul  seems  to  have  in  mind 


DIFFERENT  DEGREES  OP  GLORY?  43 

this  idea  of  reward  according  to  his  work,  when 
he  said  to  the  Thessalonian  Christians,  "For  what 
is  our  hope,  our  joy,  our  crown  of  rejoicing?  Are 
not  even  ye  in  the  presence  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  at  his  coming?  For  ye  are  our  glory  and 
joy,"    (I.  Thess.  2;  19-20). 

The  death  of  a  believer  at  a  given  age,  may  be 
in  one  case  culpable,  in  another  meritorious.  Sup- 
pose God  has  designed  a  special  life  to  last  long, 
and  be  continually  useful  for  Him.  But  the  man, 
though  a  Christian,  by  foolish  exposure,  and 
neglect  of  hygienic  laws,  dies  before  the  time.  He 
may  go  to  Heaven;  but  he  does  not  receive  so 
great  a  reward  as  if  he  had  regarded  the  laws  of 
health,  so  as  to  live  and  labour  longer.  For  God 
desired  him  to  render  much  larger  service,  thus 
earning  a  brighter  crown. 

But  suppose  a  man  is  prematurely  taken  away 
by  a  martyr's  death.  This  is  accounted  to  his 
credit.  For  such  devotion  there  seems  to  be  a 
special  praise.  Such  a  saint  may  not  have  served 
God  with  great  abilities,  or  in  great  place;  but 
with  great  sufifering,  patience,  and  fortitude;  what- 
ever his  sphere  was.  Christ,  usually  represented  as 
sitting  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  rises  at  the  death 
of  the  martyr  Stephen,  as  if  to  do  him  special 
honour.  "Others  were  tortured,  not  accepting 
deliverance,  that  they  might  obtain  a  better  resur- 
rection," i.  e.,  one  of  higher  glory.  (Heb.  11;  35). 
To  every  saint,  the  voice  of  Heaven  says,  "Blessed 


44  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord  from  hence- 
forth: Yea,  saith  the  Spirit,  that  they  may  rest 
from  their  labours;  and  their  works  do  follow 
them."  (Rev.  14;  13).  Those  works  shall  have 
due  honour.  A  Heaven-given  inspiration  this,  to 
strive  with  all  one's  might!  "For  so  an  entrance 
shall  be  ministered  unto  you  abundantly  into  the 
everlasting  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ."     (II.  Peter  i;  11). 

In  the  gallery  of  the  Vatican  at  Rome,  said  to 
contain  of  art  more  genuine  treasures  than  any 
other  on  the  earth,  there  hangs  a  work  which 
stands  not  only  supreme  above  those  others  there; 
but,  by  the  consenting  judgment  of  three  centuries 
and  a  half,  at  the  head  of  all  the  oil  paintings  in 
the  world — The  Transfiguration,  by  Raphael.  It 
was  in  the  noonday  of  his  life  that  he  began  it, 
and  the  sublimest  conceptions  of  that  peerless 
spirit  are  here  displayed.  A  genius  of  amazing 
brilliancy,  in  imagination  never  yet  surpassed,  but 
tender,  sensitive,  and  reverential;  was  portraying 
that  single  scene  when  the  Saviour  was  manifested 
to  the  disciples  in  His  future  celestial  light,  the 
only  time  that  earthly  eyes  had  yet  seen  Him  in 
His  glory.  And,  as  the  artist  bent  his  might  upon 
it,  the  splendid  vision  rose;  in  drawing,  grouping, 
and  dramatic  power,  a  work  unequalled.  It  is 
called  the  grandest  picture  ever  limner  wrought. 
But,  as  the  last  lines  were  almost  done,  God  called 
Raphael.    And,  over  his  shadowy  bier,  they  hung 


DIFFERENT  DEGREES  OF  GLORY?  45 

this  picture;  its  colours  still  wet  upon  the  canvas, 
the  last  work  of  that  lifeless  hand.  What  a  funeral 
was  this — that  graceful  figure  covered  with  the 
painter's  cloak,  the  throng  of  mourners  kneeling 
weeping  there;  but,  over  all,  the  breathing  beauty 
and  immortal  radiance  of  that  heavenly  scene, 
which  showed  the  lustre  of  the  Transfigured 
Christ.  As  Raphael  in  art,  so  we  in  spirit,  speech, 
and  life,  may  delineate  the  transfiguration  of  our 
Lord.  And,  at  our  death,  the  lustre  of  Christ 
crowned  and  regnant  shall  fall  on  us,  to  give  each 
his  proper  splendour.  For,  as  there  is  one  glory 
of  the  sun,  another  glory  of  the  moon,  and  another 
glory  of  the  stars;  though  many  stars  may  draw 
their  radiance  from  that  one  central  sun;  so 
Christ's  glory  shall  be  chiefest;  and  each  of  us  will 
have  a  proper  share,  all  unlike  one  another,  though 
we  all  shall  be  like  Him. 


CHAPTER  III 

V/HEN  WE  REACH  THE  OTHER  WORLD,  SHALL  WE 
KNOW  ONE  ANOTHER  THERE? 

"And  I  say  unto  you,  that  many  shall  come 
from  the  east  and  west,  and  shall  sit  down  with 
Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  in  the  kingdom 
of  heaven."    (Matt.  8;  ii). 

When  we,  in  the  other  world,  have  become  ce- 
lestial beings,  with  ethereal  vestments  clothed, 
shall  we  recognize  one  another?  This  world  is 
not  our  home,  but  a  foreign  land  through  which 
our  journey  lies.  And,  as  we  hasten  onward,  we 
catch  from  time  to  time  bright  glimpses  of  the 
pleasant  faces  by  the  way;  and  fain  would  linger  to 
look  upon  them  long.  But  the  scenes  of  our  inter- 
course are  few  and  fleeting;  then  we  part.  Yet  as 
one  who,  in  some  great  library,  happens  to  pass 
an  hour  sipping  sweets  from  the  curious  volumes 
it  contains,  but  then  must  leave  it,  gladly  would 
return  at  leisure,  and  tarry  to  exhaust  the  varied 
contents  of  its  shelves,  so  we  who  in  the  com- 
munity of  kindred  hearts  have  tasted  the  pleasures 

46 


RECOGNITION  IN  OTHER  WORLD?  47 

of  friendship,  but  were  too  soon  parted,  desire  to 
renew  them  and  continue  that  companionship. 

We  see  the  great  ones  of  to-day,  conspicuously- 
uplifted  among  men;  and  we  would  be  near  them. 
But  their  sight  we  are  not  permitted  to  enjoy.  We 
remember  the  figures  who  shone  in  the  genera- 
tions now  beneath  the  sod,  and  whose  radiance  il- 
luminated the  pathway  of  humanity,  so  that  the 
ages  were  enlightened  by  the  truth  which  those 
great  souls  have  shed.  How  gladly  would  we  com- 
mune with  them,  but  time's  barriers  intervene. 
And,  more  than  this,  when  by  bereavement 
closest  ties  are  sundered,  and  loved  ones  are  called 
away;  how  our  hearts  yearn  to  recover  them  some 
day,  and  ask  mournfully  the  question,  "Will  there 
be  in  the  future  state  reunion,  with  full,  free,  and 
happy  intercourse  forever? 

To  which  the  Scriptures  answer  that, 

WHEN  WE  REACH  THE  OTHER  WORLD,  WE  SHALL 
KNOW    ONE   ANOTHER  THERE. 

Everything  in  the  Bible  that  bears  at  all  upon 
this  matter,  indicates  that  such  will  unquestionably 
be  the  case.  And,  even  among  the  more  cultivated 
heathen  nations,  this  doctrine  has  prevailed. 

It  is  sustained  by  a  variety  of  atguments. 

I.  Heaven  is  described  in  the  Bible  by  numer- 
ous figures,  which  indisputably  imply  association 
and  communion. 


48  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

Underlying  this  fact,  there  is  a  profound  reason. 
The  conception  of  a  single  divine  and  infinite  per- 
son, Hving  in  an  intelHgent  universe  composed 
solely  of  finite  and  subordinate  beings,  which  he 
had  himself  created,  would  be  something  utterly 
unsatisfactory  to  a  philosophical  human  mind.  The 
existence  of  such  a  God,  with  no  companionship 
forever  but  that  of  his  inferiors,  would  seem  a 
dreary  isolation,  a  hopeless  and  complete  incon- 
gruity. While  the  matter  would  be  eternally  be- 
yond our  control  or  influence,  the  thought  of  that 
lonely  God  must  forever  fail  to  satisfy — must  for- 
ever chill  both  mind  and  heart.  But  the  God  who 
calls  us  to  adore  and  serve  Him,  is  an  entirely 
different  being.  There  are  three  persons  in  that 
Trinity,  all  infinite  alike.  Each  finds  high,  holy, 
inefYably  satisfactory  intercourse  with  the  other 
two.  To  all  eternity,  it  is  an  infinitely  social,  not 
a  solitary  God.  The  Biblical  conception  leaves 
nothing  for  either  mind  or  heart  to  desire.  But 
the  life  of  Heaven  must  reflect  the  life  of  this 
Triune  Being  who  is  everywhere  supreme.  The 
life  of  the  children  must  somewhat  resemble  that 
which  marks  the  Parent,  the  Elder  Brother,  and 
the  Teacher,  by  whom  they  are  forever  moulded. 
Therefore  Heaven  is  constantly  presented  under 
aspects  that  are  suggestive  of  the  most  ideal  com- 
panionship. Thus  it  is  a  family,  a  house  with  ser- 
vants, a  city,  a  kingdom,  a  temple  with  worship- 
pers.   We  will  consider  one  of  these  metaphors — 


RECOGNITION  IN  OTHER  WORLD?  49 

that  which  presents  it  as  a  feast,  at  which  Christ 
and  His  followers  are  all  united. 

For  He  says,  "I  appoint  unto  you  a  kingdom, 
*  *  that  ye  may  eat  and  drink  at  my  table  in  my 
kingdom."  (Luke  22;  30).  And  again,  "They 
shall  come  from  the  east,  and  from  the  west,  and 
from  the  north,  and  from  the  south,  and  shall  sit 
down  in  the  kingdom  of  God."  (Luke  13;  29). 
In  all  such  passages  Heaven  is  portrayed  under 
the  image  of  a  banquet.  But  such  festal  meetings 
in  the  Orient  were  occasions  for  the  freest  social 
converse.  As  Master  and  guests  reclined  together 
on  the  couches  around  the  board,  friend  met  friend 
w4th  genial  intimacy. 

And,  from  this  manner  of  describing  the  com- 
munion of  the  redeemed,  we  must  at  once  neces- 
sarily infer  that  they  have  the  fullest  acquaintance 
with  one  another.  Nor  is  it  taught  by  inference 
alone,  but  by  assurances  most  direct.  For,  in  an- 
other place,  where  this  same  figure  is  employed, 
Christ  says  to  the  unbelievers,  that  they  shall  not 
have  fellowship  with  the  glorious  ones  of  Heaven, 
the  patriarchs  and  prophets;  but  shall  be  deprived 
thereof.  And  their  torment  is  enhanced  by  this 
very  fact,  that  they  recognize  the  members  of  that 
assembled  company,  from  which-  they  have  been 
excluded.  "There  shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing 
of  teeth,  when  ye  shall  see  Abraham,  and  Isaac, 
and  Jacob,  and  all  the  prophets  in  the  kingdom 
of  God,  and  ye  yourselves  thrust  out."    (Luke  13; 


50  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

28).  But,  if  they  can  recognize  Abraham,  Isaac, 
and  Jacob,  they  may  recognize  also  Reuben, 
Simeon,  Judah,  Levi,  and  the  other  sons  of  Jacob. 
If  they  can  recognize  the  patriarchs,  they  can 
recognize  the  kings;  as  David,  Solomon,  and  Jo- 
siah.  If  they  can  recognize  the  prophets,  then  also 
the  apostles  and  evangelists,  or  any  others  of  the 
redeemed.  If  the  saints  within  are  recognized  by 
the  sinners  looking  on  them  from  the  outer  gloom, 
how  shall  those  saints  be  strangers  to  one  another  ? 
They  are  the  sons  of  God.  And  shall  the  chil- 
dren of  the  divine  family  meet  for  ages  around 
their  elder  brother's  throne,  uniting  voices  in  His 
praise,  joining  efforts  in  His  service,  looking  a 
million  times  upon  one  another's  features,  yet  with- 
out recognition?  The  whole  conception  of 
Heaven  in  the  Bible  suggests  the  idea  of  friend- 
ship, most  familiar  intercourse,  and  most  intimate 
acquaintance. 

II.  That  one  will  know  another,  is  indicated 
with  equal  clearness  by  certain  incidents  in  Holy 
Writ. 

For  do  we  not  read  of  that  rich  man,  who  was 
clothed  in  purple  and  fine  Hnen,  faring  sumptu- 
ously; while  at  his  gate  a  beggar  lay,  helpless, 
hungry,  and  coveting  eagerly  the  rich  man's 
crumbs?  By  and  by  both  passed  from  earth,  to 
receive  above  according  to  their  due.  But  now 
their  positions  were  reversed.     Dives,   as  a  suf- 


HECOGNITION  IN  OTHER  WORLD?  51 

ferer,  lay  parching  in  the  flames.  While,  as  he 
looked  up  to  the  happy  sphere  beyond,  he  there 
saw  Lazarus,  once  so  lowly,  reclining  now  in 
Father  Abraham's  embrace.  Even  assuming  this 
to  be  a  parable,  what  does  it  unmistakably  teach 
about  the  question  we  now  discuss?  Will  you 
say  that  Lazarus  did  not  know  Abraham,  or  that 
Abraham  did  not  know  Lazarus?  Abraham  also 
knew  Dives.  While  Dives  recognizes  the  ac- 
quaintance of  his  former  days.  And  both  knew 
Abraham,  whom  neither  had  known  on  earth;  and 
in  conversation  with  whom  it  seems  the  pleasure 
of  Lazarus  largely  lay.     (Luke  i6;  19-31). 

There  are  other  things,  in  no  sense  parables,  but 
plainest  narratives  of  fact.  Do  we  not  read  how 
Samuel  died,  and  Israel  buried  him  in  Ramah? 
So  that  Saul,  who  had  long  profited  by  Samuel's 
inspired  wisdom,  had  now  no  counselor,  though 
the  Philistines  were  swarming  up  against  him;  till, 
looking  upon  their  hosts,  he  grew  afraid.  But, 
enquiring  of  the  Lord,  he  could  get  no  answer,  by 
dreams,  by  Urim,  or  by  prophets.  Then,  disguis- 
ing himself,  he  with  two  companions  came  to  En- 
dor  to  the  witch  by  night,  and  said,  "I  pray  thee, 
bring  me  up  whomsoever  I  shall  name  unto  thee." 
And  the  woman  said,  "Whom  shall  I  bring  up?" 
And  he  said,  "Bring  me  up  Samuel."  Then  she 
cried  with  a  loud  voice.  And  the  king  said,  "What 
sawest  thou?"  And  she  said,  "I  see  a  god  com- 
ing up  out  of  the  earth.  *  *  An  old  man  cometh 


52  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

up;  and  he  is  covered  with  a  robe."  And  Saul 
perceived  that  it  was  Samuel.  Then  the  seer  told 
him  of  his  o'ershadowing  doom.  For  Israel  should 
be  smitten  by  the  foe,  losing  both  their  princes 
and  their  king.  And  Samuel  said  to  Saul,  "To- 
morrow shalt  thou  and  thy  sons  be  with  me."  And 
as  the  seer  said,  so  it  was.  The  morrow,  on  Mount 
Gilboa,  they  died.  This  is  not  myth,  but  inspired 
history.  (R.  V.  I.  Sam.  28;  8-20).  It  shows  that 
Samuel,  now  living  in  the  spirit  world,  is  as  recog- 
nizable as  he  was  on  earth.  Saul  knew  him.  And, 
on  that  morrow,  when  Saul  and  his  sons  passed 
into  that  spirit  land,  we  must  hold  that  Saul  and 
his  sons  knew  one  another. 

In  the  above  case,  one  person  appears  from  the 
spirit  world.  But,  in  the  next  case,  two  persons 
come.  For  it  is  Christ's  Transfiguration.  As  the 
disciples  looked  at  the  Lord,  there  appeared  with 
Him  Moses  and  Elijah,  each  retaining  his  identity, 
and  recognized  by  them.  Yet  900  years  had  sped 
away,  since  Elijah  the  reformer  went  up  in  his 
chariot  of  fire.  Of  circling  centuries  twenty-five, 
since  the  great  lawgiver  had  looked  from  the  top 
of  Nebo  o'er  the  land  he  might  not  enter.   Since 

"The  angels  of  God  upturned  the  sod, 
And  laid  the  chieftain  there." 

Yet  prophet  and  lawgiver  both  were  known  im- 
mediately, the  same  characters  as  on  earth.    But, 


RECOGNITION  IN  OTHER  WORLD?  53 

if  Moses  could  be  recognized,  then  also  Aaron, 
Caleb,  and  Joshua.  If  Elijah  could  be  recognized, 
then  also  Elisha,  Isaiah,  Daniel,  or  any  other 
saints. 

This  incident  on  Mount  Hermon  has  a  special 
bearing  upon  the  question  we  now  discuss.  Here 
were  three  central  figures:  Jesus — a  man  in  the 
flesh;  Moses — a  disembodied  spirit,  who,  on  this 
occasion,  appeared  in  vision,  as  the  angels  do; 
and  Elijah — a  man  who  had  received  his  glorified 
body.  These  three  personalities  may  be  taken  as 
representing  the  three  stages  of  man's  existence; 
that  in  the  body,  that  in  which  the  soul  is  for  a 
season  separated  from  the  body,  and  that  in  which 
the  soul  occupies  the  body  glorified.  But  these 
three  persons  recognize  one  another,  and  specially 
talk  together  concerning  Christ's  "decease  which 
he  should  accomplish  at  Jerusalem."  Thus  they 
prove  and  illustrate  the  mysterious  possibilities  of 
recognition  and  communion  among  the  saints  of 
all  ages,  in  the  flesh,  in  the  spirit,  and  in  the  body 
glorified;  some  on  earth,  some  in  Heaven. 

But,  progressing,  we  observe  that, 

HI.  From  the  very  constitution  of  the  soul, 
through  all  eternity  each  ransomed  spirit  must  re- 
tain his  individual  traits  of  character,  and  his  iden- 
tity must  be  obvious  to  others. 

We  are  by  nature  intellectual.  But,  of  every 
intellect,  memory  is  a  function.     And  every  man 


54  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

who  has  a  memory,  while  aware  that  he  is  existent 
now,  remembers  that  he  was  existent  in  time  past. 
He  is  conscious  of  what  is  in  metaphysics  termed 
his  "personal  identity."  We  quote  from  Dr. 
Thomas  Upham.  "The  farmer  for  instance,  who 
looks  abroad  on  his  cultivated  fields,  knows  he  is 
the  same  person  who  twenty  years  before  entered 
the  forest  with  an  axe  on  his  shoulder,  and  felled 
the  first  tree.  The  aged  soldier  who  recounts  at 
his  fireside  the  battles  of  his  youth,  never  doubts 
that  he  was  himself  a  witness  of  those  sanguinary 
scenes."  And  even  thus,  through  his  entire  ex- 
istence, each  man  is  conscious  that  he  retains  his 
individual  identity;  that,  however  changed  in  char- 
acter, habit  and  environment,  he  is  the  same  per- 
son all  his  life.  The  youth  knows  he  is  the  same 
person  who,  a  score  of  years  before,  sat  by  his 
mother's  knee.  And,  as  the  decades  pass,  he 
knows  that  he,  the  man  mature,  is  identical  with 
that  youth.  And  finally,  when  time  has  bowed 
him,  and  he  looks  back  upon  his  previous  course, 
he  knows  that  tottering  infant,  stalwart  youth, 
man  in  manhood's  prime,  and  in  the  decrepitude 
of  age,  all  are  but  successive  developments  in  the 
life  of  one  particular  human  being. 

And  now  he  dies. 

But  does  he  forget  himself  in  death?  Is  not  his 
intelligence  enlarged?  And  as  his  faculties  put 
on  strength,  will  there  be  no  power  of  recollection? 
Will  he  forget  who  once  he  was  ?  Memory,  so  im- 


■RECOGNITION  IN  OTPIER  WORLD?  55 

portant  in  this  lower  state,  will  it  in  that  higher 
sphere  be  lost?  Far  from  it.  Like  our  other 
powers,  it  must  be  strengthened  and  intensified. 
So  the  individuality  of  each  soul  shall  come  out 
clearer,  stronger,  brighter,  and  more  apparent  even 
to  that  soul  itself,  than  it  ever  did  before. 

Otherwise  there  could  be  no  moral  obligation  or 
responsibility.  No  punishrnent  could  be  just,  no 
reward  could  be  righteous.  Therefore  each  soul 
must  remain  distinct.  Three  hundred  millions  of 
Buddhists  dream  that  they  will  ultimately  attain 
the  state  of  Nirvana.  This  is  extinction,  or  absorp- 
tion into  the  deity — a  primitive  Buddha.  Thus 
their  individual  souls  will  be  annihilated,  or  merged 
in  the  All-Soul.  And  the  Brahmins  dream  that 
they  will  be  absorbed  in  Brahm.  But  this  is  as  im- 
possible for  them  as  for  us.  There  is  no  Nirvana. 
Nobody  can  be  absorbed  into  Buddha  or  into 
Brahm.  There  is  no  such  thing  as  a  divine 
Buddha.  There  is  no  such  being  as  Brahm.  There 
is  no  such  thing  as  the  absorption  of  one  soul  into 
another  soul  any  way.  Buddhism  and  Brahminism 
may  say  we  shall  be  merged  or  lost  in  universal 
being.  But  the  Bible  says  we  shall  shine  like  the 
stars. 

Each  soul  is  one  and  indivisible.  It  cannot  lose 
its  personal  existence  and  identity.  The  distinctive 
traits  of  character  must  become  more  prominent, 
marking  beyond  mistake  the  individuality  of  the 
man.    Thus  the  characteristics  and  peculiarities  of 


56  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

his  nature  grow  more  and  more  conspicuous  than 
ever,  compelling  recognition.  Hence  that  indi- 
vidual must  be  known  and  understood  by  his  fellow 
souls.  So  that  we  shall  be  acquainted  with  one  an- 
other there  far  better  than  we  ever  were  on  earth. 
We  must  argue  this  much  from  the  native  char- 
acter of  our  minds. 

As  with  Samuel,  Moses,  and  Elijah;  so  with  Laz- 
arus of  Bethany.  When  he  comes  back  from  the 
other  world,  he  retains  his  identity.  This  is  evi- 
dence that  he  had  not  lost  it  in  that  world.  In 
the  Scriptures,  dead  persons  raised  from  the  dead 
all  retain  their  individuality.  For  instance,  the 
children  raised  by  Elijah  and  Elisha;  the  son  of  the 
widow  of  Nain;  the  daughter  of  Jairus,  Tabitha 
(Acts  9;  40),  and  Eutychus  (Acts  20;  9).  Evidently 
they  had  not  lost  it  by  death.  "And  many  bodies 
of  the  saints  which  slept  arose,  and  came  out  of 
the  graves  after  His  resurrection,  and  went  into 
the  holy  city,  and  appeared  unto  many."  (Matt. 
27;  53-54).  The  language  implies  that  of  course 
they  were  recognized. 

Of  her  who  brought  the  alabaster  box  of  oint- 
ment, Christ  said,  "Wheresoever  this  gospel  shall 
be  preached  in  the  whole  world,  there  shall  also 
this,  that  this  woman  hath  done,  be  told  for  a 
memorial  of  her."  (Matt.  26;  13).  Now  she  has 
gone  to  the  City  of  God.  Are  we  to  believe  that 
her  identity  is  lost  forever;  that  she  is  undistin- 
guishable  and  unknown,  so  that  those  who  seek 


RECOGNITION  IN  OTHER  WORLD?  57 

for  her  can  find  her  not?  No,  as  she  hovers  near 
the  throne  of  Him  whom  she  loved  on  earth,  the 
bright-eyed  celestials  look  upon  her,  and  say,  "Lo ! 
This  is  she  of  Bethany,  who  poured  the  ointment 
on  her  Saviour's  feet,  back  in  the  long  ago." 

And  just  here,  to  confirm  that  very  reasoning 
by  another  argument,  comes  the  language  of  in- 
spiration once  again.  This  we  will  treat  as  our 
fourth  proof. 

IV.  Christ  said,  we  are  to  be  "as  the  angels  in 
heaven."  (Matt.  12;  25).  And  the  angels  know 
one  another. 

What  is  revealed  about  them  proves  recognition. 
We  have  already  seen  that  there  are  dififerent 
ranks  and  orders  of  angels.  This  implies  that 
there  must  be  recognition. 

They  have  their  peculiar  names.  There  is  Satan, 
*'that  hath  the  power  of  death;"  and  whom  we  also 
variously  call  Apollyon,  Abaddon,  Belial,  or 
Beelzebub.  Can  there  be  any  spiritual  intelligence 
who  does  not  know  him?  And  the  angel  that  ap- 
pears to  Daniel,  mentions  by  name  still  other  evil 
angels.  (Daniel  10;  13).  He  says,  "The  prince 
of  the  kingdom  of  Persia  withstood  me  one  and 
twenty  days."  "Now  will  I  return  to  fight  with 
the  prince  of  Persia;  and  when  I  am  gone  forth, 
lo,  the  prince  of  Grecia  shall  come."  (v.  20).  But, 
in  contrast  with  the  destroyer  and  his  companions, 
there  are  loyal  spirits  equally  well  known;  as  the 


58  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

archangel  Michael,  a  chief  prince  in  the  celestial 
armies,  who  is  mentioned  repeatedly  in  other 
places;  and  by  Daniel,  who  says  that,  "at  that  time 
shall  Michael  stand  up;  and  thy  people  shall  be 
delivered."  And  there  is  another,  who  came  to 
Zacharias  before  the  birth  of  John  the  Baptist,  and 
said,  "I  am  Gabriel,  that  stand  in  the  presence  of 
God."  When  Manoah  asks  the  name  of  the  angel 
who  appeared  to  him,  the  angel  said,  "Why 
askest  thou  thus  for  my  name,  seeing  it  is  secret?" 
(Judges  13;  18).  But  this  is  an  acknowledgment 
that  he  had  a  name. 

And  these  beings,  whether  worshippers  of  God 
or  not,  know  one  another.  Repeatedly  have  they 
met.  Once  as  described  by  Jude,  who  says, 
"Michael  the  archangel,  when  contending  with  the 
devil  he  disputed  about  the  body  of  Moses,  durst 
not  bring  against  him  a  railing  accusation,  but 
said,  'The  Lord  rebuke  thee.'  "  (Jude  9).  Can 
we  imagine  that,  while  ranged  against  each  other 
in  that  strife,  these  spirits  were  mutually  unac- 
quainted? But  these  same  beings  were  arrayed 
once  more  against  each  other.  For  John  says, 
"There  was  war  in  heaven.  Michael  and  his  angels 
fought  *  *  *  and  the  dragon  fought  and  his 
angels,  and  prevailed  not,  neither  was  their 
place  found  any  more  in  heaven."  (Rev.  12;  7-8). 
As  those  fierce  contending  spirits  struggled  in 
that  dire  conflict,  till  Satan  was  utterly  overcome, 


RECOGNITION  IN  OTHER  WORLD?  59 

think  you  Michael  and  the  Devil  did  not  know 
each  other? 

And  the  evil  spirits  must  recognize  one  another. 
Of  course  they  know  their  leader.  And  the  Scrip- 
ture represents  the  spirits  in  the  pit  as  instantly 
knowing  the  king  of  Babylon,  when  he  comes 
among  them.  "Hell  from  beneath  is  moved  from 
thee,  to  meet  thee  at  thy  coming;  it  stirreth  up 
the  dead  for  thee,  even  all  the  chief  ones  of  the 
earth;  it  hath  raised  up  from  the  thrones  all  the 
kings  of  the  nations.  All  they  shall  speak  and  say 
unto  thee,  Art  thou  also  become  weak  as  we?  art 
thou  become  like  unto  us  ?  Thy  pomp  is  brought 
down  to  the  grave,  and  the  noise  of  thy  viols :  the 
worm  is  spread  under  thee,  and  the  worms  cover 
thee."  (Is.  14;  9-1 1).  But,  if  hell  recognizes  the 
king  of  Babylon,  when  he  enters  there,  it  must, 
under  the  same  circumstances,  recognize  Pharaoh, 
king  of  Egypt;  King  Ahab,  King  Herod,  or  any 
other  sinful  king  or  commoner. 

And,  if  evil  spirits  recognize  one  another,  surely 
good  spirits  must  do  the  same.  And  all  through 
the  descriptions  of  the  other  world  found  in  the 
Book  of  Revelation,  the  celestial  beings  appear  as 
recognizing  one  another.  As  they  move  to  and 
from  the  throne,  meeting  continually,  conversing 
of  their  many  common  interests,  while  eternity 
goes  sweeping  by;  the  distinctive  traits  peculiar  to 
each  one  being  impressed  a  myriad  times  on  those 
around,  how  intimately  acquainted  will  they  all  be- 


60  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

come !  Their  communion  must  surpass  the  closest 
fellowships  of  earth.  But,  when  we  go  there, 
Christ  tells  us  we  shall  be  "as  the  angels  which  are 
in  heaven."  Therefore  we  shall  enjoy  just  such 
privileges,  just  such  intercourse,  with  all  the  recog- 
nitions it  must  bring. 

From  all  this  it  is  evident  that  even  purely 
spiritual  beings  must  distinguish  one  another.  For 
the  angels  have  no  physical  bodies  like  ours.  They 
are  spirits  without  material  forms.  Yet  among 
them  there  is  mutual  recognition.  But  as  the  an- 
gels take  cognizance  of  one  another,  and  converse 
among  themselves,  so  our  disembodied  spirits 
must  do  the  same. 

This  is  further  plainly  indicated  by  what  Christ 
said  to  the  dying  thief,  "To-day  shalt  thou  be  with 
me  in  paradise."  Though  their  bodies  were  to  be 
left  on  earth,  between  their  spirits  in  the  other 
world  there  was  to  be  mutual  recognition.  And 
these  two  discarnate  spirits  must  have  recognized 
angels  and  by  them  been  recognized. 

V.  Another  argument  is  from  the  revelations  of 
the  judgment  day. 

All  who  have  ever  lived  shall  be  assembled  by 
the  Lord.  "Before  him  shall  be  gathered  all  na- 
tions." (Matt.  25;  32).  "The  sea  gave  up  the 
dead  which  were  in  it;  and  death  and  hell  delivered 
up  the  dead  which  were  in  them."  (Rev.  20;  13). 
The  wicked,  in  abject  terror,  seek  escape,  saying, 


RECOGNITION  IN  OTHER  WORLD?  61 

"Hide  us  from  the  face  of  him  that  sitteth  on  the 
throne."  (Rev.  6;  i6).  While  behevers  are  calmly 
awaiting  their  reward.  But  all  have  most  vivid 
recollections  of  what  they  were  on  earth.  "There 
is  nothing  covered  that  shall  not  be  revealed; 
neither  hid  that  shall  not  be  known."  (Luke  12; 
2).  "And  the  dead  were  judged  out  of  those 
things  which  were  written  in  the  books,  according 
to  their  works."  (Rev.  20;  12).  And  of  him  that 
overcometh,  the  Master  says,  "1  will  confess  his 
name  before  my  father  and  before  his  angels." 
(Rev.  3;  5).  Does  not  this  prove  that  each  one's 
individuality  shall  remain,  and  be  most  conspicu- 
ously clear  to  others  ?  So  each  one  knows  himself 
far  better  than  he  ever  did  before,  and  is  pro- 
claimed to  all  the  throng  as  never  had  been  pos- 
sible on  earth. 

VI.  All  the  foregoing  proofs  are  confirmed  by 
the  manifestation  of  Christ  after  His  resurrection 
and  reascension. 

When  He  had  received  His  glorified  body.  He 
appeared  continually  on  earth  through  forty  days; 
showing  that  the  glorified  body  has  as  distinct  and 
unmistakable  an  existence  as  the  natural  body,  and 
is  as  capable  of  recognition.  Then,  after  He  had 
reascended  to  the  skies,  He  returned  to  earth, 
and  appeared  to  Saul  of  Tarsus  on  the  Damascus 
road.  Then  he  appeared  again  to  the  Apostle 
Paul.     (Acts  23;  11).     But  the  body  of  each  one 


62  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

of  us  will  be  like  that  glorified  body  of  Christ; 
therefore  admitting  of  recognition. 

The  light  upon  this  subject  is  so  full,  it  is  prob- 
ably the  universal  belief  among  Christian  scholars 
that,  in  the  other  world,  we  shall  recognize  one  an- 
other. It  would  seem  as  certain  that  the  saints 
will  know  one  another  in  the  future  life,  as  it  is 
that  they  are  acquainted  with  one  another  here. 

VII.  And  there  are  indications  that,  in  the 
other  world,  recognitions  will  be  intuitive.  Or,  to 
speak  in  a  more  philosophical  manner,  that  dififer- 
ent  persons  will  be  made  known  to  one  another  by 
the  Spirit  of  God.  We  give  some  circumstances 
which  favour  this  view.  "And  the  Lord  had  told 
Samuel  *  *  *  to-morrow  about  this  time  I  will  send 
unto  thee  a  man  out  of  the  land  of  Benjamin;  and 
thou  shalt  anoint  him  to  be  captain  over  my  people 
Israel  *  *.  And  when  Samuel  saw  Saul,  the  Lord 
said  unto  him,  behold  the  man  whom  I  spake  to 
thee  of!  this  same  shall  reign  over  my  people." 
(I.  Sam.  9;  15-17).  The  stranger  Saul  was  by  the 
Spirit  of  God  made  known  to  Samuel. 

Then,  after  Saul  had  been  rejected,  the  Lord  said 
unto  Samuel,  "Go,  I  will  send  thee  to  Jesse  the 
Beth-lehemite :  for  I  have  provided  me  a  king 
among  his  sons."  Then,  one  by  one,  the  sons  of 
Jesse,  passed  before  the  seer,  until  there  came  the 
youngest,  "ruddy,  *  of  a  beautiful  countenance, 
and  goodly  to  look  to.    And  the  Lord  said,  arise, 


RECOGNITION  IN  OTHER  WORLD?  63 

anoint  him:  for  this  is  he."  (I.  Samuel  i6;  1-12). 
Thus  David  was  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  made 
known  to  Samuel. 

Thus  of  the  New  Testament  Saul,  blinded  in  Da- 
mascus, the  Lord  said  to  Ananias,  "Behold  he 
prayeth,  and  hath  seen  in  a  vision  a  man  named 
Ananias  coming  in,  and  putting  his  hand  on  him, 
that  he  might  receive  his  sight."  (Acts  9;  11). 
Before  ever  Saul  has  seen  Ananias  himself,  the 
Lord  has  sent  to  Saul  a  mental  picture  of  Ananias, 
and  information  as  to  whom  that  picture  repre- 
sents.   Thus  Ananias  is  made  known  to  Saul. 

In  the  same  manner  persons  long  in  the  other 
world  may  be  introduced  to  us.  At  the  Transfig- 
uration, how  were  Moses  and  Elijah  recognized? 
Neither  Jesus,  Peter,  James,  nor  John,  had  ever 
seen  either  of  them  before.  But  the  divine  mind 
(presumably  that  of  Jesus  Himself),  revealed  their 
identity  to  the  human  mind  of  Jesus;  and  probably 
also  to  the  mind  of  each  disciple. 

Again,  all  through  the  Bible,  when  angels  come 
to  human  beings,  these  heavenly  visitors  seem  per- 
fectly well  acquainted  with  those  persons,  and 
often  address  them  by  their  proper  names.  For 
instance,  the  angel  of  the  Lord  that  found  Hagar, 
says,  "Hagar,  Sarah's  maid,  whence  camest  thou?" 
(Gen.  16;  8).  The  angel  addresses  Daniel  by 
name,  "O  Daniel,  a  man  greatly  beloved."  (Dan. 
10;  11).  So  the  angel  says,  "Joseph,  thou  son  of 
David,  fear  not  to  take  unto  thee  Mary  thy  wife." 


64  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

(Matt.  I ;  20).  So  Gabriel,  who  announces  the  com- 
ing birth  of  John,  says,  "Fear  not,  Zacharias,  for 
thy  prayer  is  heard;  and  thy  wife  Ehsabeth  shall 
bear  thee  a  son,  and  thou  shalt  call  his  name  John." 
(Luke  I ;  13).  Later  foretelling  the  birth  of  Christ, 
Gabriel  says,  "Fear  not,  Mary;  *  *  thou  shalt  *  * 
bring  forth  a  son;  and  shalt  call  his  name  Jesus." 
(Luke  i;  30-31).  The  devout  centurion  saw  in  a 
vision,  "about  the  ninth  hour  of  the  day,  an  angel 
of  God  coming  in  to  him,  and  saying  unto  him, 
Cornelius."  (Acts  10;  3).  Again,  to  the  apostle 
on  shipboard,  the  angel  says,  "Fear  not,  Paul;  thou 
must  be  brought  before  Caesar."  (Acts  27;  24). 

These  celestials  know  the  identity  of  the  indi- 
viduals to  whom  they  speak,  and  all  about  them. 
But  how  do  they  learn?  We  must  assume  that 
the  divine  mind  tells  them  the  names  and  circum- 
stances of  these  men  and  women.  But,  in  exactly 
the  same  manner,  that  divine  mind  may  tell  us  the 
names,  characters,  etc.,  of  angels  and  glorified 
saints.  So  that,  when  we  meet  them,  we  shall 
recognize  them  at  once. 

Entirely  in  accordance  with  the  profoundest 
teachings  of  Revelation  upon  this  subject,  are  the 
words  of  Tennyson  about  his  departed  friend : 

"Eternal  form  shall  still  divide 
Eternal  soul  from  all  beside, 

And  I  shall  know  him  when  we  meet." 
And  I  shall  knozv  him  zvhcn  we  meet. 


RECOGNITION  IN  OTHER  WORLD?  65 

All  this  is  implied  in  the  deep  import  of  the 
words  of  Christ,  "And  I  say  unto  you  that  many 
shall  come  from  the  east  and  west,  and  shall  sit 
down  with  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob  in  the 
kingdom  of  heaven."   (Matt.  8;  ii). 

About  every  sainted  Christian  friend,  we  may 
repeat  those  words  of  the  poet.  For,  not  only  will 
there  be  these  private  and  individual  reunions; 
but  there  is  also  to  be  a  public  recognition,  intro- 
duction, and  presentation  of  every  believer  by 
Christ  before  the  hosts  of  heaven.  "He  that  over- 
cometh,  the  same  shall  be  clothed  in  white  rai- 
ment; and  I  will  not  blot  out  his  name  out  of  the 
book  of  life,  but  I  will  confess  his  name  before  my 
Father,  and  before  his  angels."   (Rev.  3;  5). 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE  IMMORTALITY  OF  LOVE,  AND  THE  CONTINUA- 
TION OF  CHRISTIAN  FRIENDSHIPS  IN  THE  COM- 
ING   LIFE. 

"I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you.  And  if  I  go 
and  prepare  a  place  for  you,  I  will  come  again,  and 
receive  you  unto  myself;  that,  where  I  am,  there 
ye  may  be  also."   (John  14;  2-3). 

As  we  have  already  seen,  a  fundamental  element 
in  the  Biblical  representation  of  Heaven  is  that  of 
recognition,  reunion  and  eternal  friendship.  Those 
features  of  earthly  social  intercourse  which  are 
best,  brightest,  and  most  beautiful;  are  all  to  be 
idealized,  enhanced,  and  enjoyed  forever.  Not 
here,  but  there,  our  human  affections  reach  their 
highest  development,  power,  and  glory.  For 
there,  in  the  figurative  language  of  the  Master,  we 
are  to  eat  and  drink  with  Christ  "and  his  disciples 
in  his  kingdom."  There  heart  knows  heart  in  the 
truest,  tenderest  ties  that  can  exist  among  human 
beings.    How  inspiring  it  is  to  contemplate 

66 


LOVE  SURVIVING  DEATH.  67 

THE  IMMORTALITY  OF  LOVE,  AND  THE  CONTINUA- 
TION OF  CHRISTIAN  FRIENDSHIPS  IN  THE  COM- 
ING LIFE. 

I.   The  naturalness  of  love. 

Love  is  the  most  natural  exercise  of  the  heart; 
The  Creator  designed  it  to  be  the  original  and 
spontaneous  action  of  the  human  soul.  As  much 
as  He  made  the  lungs  to  breathe,  the  arms  to  toil, 
and  the  mind  to  think;  so  much  He  made  the  heart 
to  love. 

Childhood  abounds  in  fancies  and  afifections. 
Our  school  and  college  experiences  are  filled  with 
attachments,  and  with  reveries  of  romance.  All 
our  youthful  thoughts  are  at  times  coloured  by  ex- 
periences of  this  character.  In  middle  life  we  may 
have  become  more  fixed  in  our  affections;  may 
cherish  special  persons  more;  may  hold  passion 
under  more  control;  but  the  power  of  love  is  often 
far  stronger  than  it  is  in  youth.  And  in  old  age 
it  grows  often  deeper  and  more  dominant  over 
life. 

Hate  is  the  hearths  abnormal  action.  How  pain- 
ful are  envies,  jealousies,  and  animosities,  to  the 
breast  wherein  they  dwell!  Like  disease,  they 
consume  the  tissue  of  the  soul,  and  wear  men  out. 
They  are  marks  of  an  unhealthful  state.  When 
the  heart  no  longer  loves,  it  sinks  below  its  health- 
ful life.  The  soul  that  loves  not,  does  not  truly 
live. 


68  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

As  many  types  of  activity  are  necessary  to  ma- 
ture the  physique;  so  many  kinds  of  love  are 
requisite  to  develope  the  human  soul;  those  for 
father,  mother,  brother,  sister,  spouse,  friend,  and 
enemy;  but,  above  all,  for  God.  The  only  child 
generally  is  narrow,  from  having  neither  brother 
nor  sister  whom  to  love.  He  does  not  acquire  the 
breadth  of  affection  which  exists  in  families  where 
there  are  many  children.  A  tremendous  develop- 
ment comes  through  marriage.  There  is  the 
Italian  story  of  a  young  man  who  courted  a  maiden 
from  interested  motives;  her  father's  position  and 
wealth  being  what  attracted  most.  So  he  seemed 
indifferent  to  the  relatives  of  his  beloved.  This 
opened  the  father's  eyes  to  the  youth's  real  char- 
acter. For,  had  he  loved  her  truly,  he  would  have 
loved  her  kindred  too.  So  all-embracing  a  thing 
is  love. 

The  divine  ideal  was  that  everybody  should  love 
everybody  else.  Love  must  exist  in  the  bosom  of 
every  holy  being;  and  must  go  out  toward  every 
other  being  who  is  holy.  For  man  is  to  reflect 
something  of  the  nature  of  the  God  in  whose 
image  he  was  made.  Each  person  of  the  God-head 
loves  the  other  two,  loves  angels,  loves  men,  and 
loves  all  animated  creatures. 

The  strength  of  affection  depends  partly  upon 
the  worthiness  of  the  person  loved;  and  partly 
upon  the  strength  of  character  of  the  heart  that 
loves.     For  the  former  reason,  God  is  calculated 


LOVE  SURVIVING  DEATH.  69 

to  inspire  the  highest  attachment  of  which  man  is 
capable.  For  the  latter  reason,  the  divine  love  for 
man  is  not  measured  by  man's  own  merit.  In  that 
case,  God's  love  would  be  very  slight.  It  is  meas- 
ured by  the  strength  and  infinite  capacity  of  the 
divine  heart  to  yearn  over  man.  Therefore  we 
may  trust  it. 

II.    Some  influences  and  effects  of  love. 

Love  makes  the  heart  to  grow  larger  and 
mightier.  Love  for  evil  does  not  strengthen;  be- 
cause in  reality  it  is  hatred  for  God.  Misdirected 
affections  do  not  make  us  strong.  But,  as  running 
gives  power  to  the  deer,  as  flying  makes  the  eagle 
strong  of  wing,  as  thinking  developes  the  mind  of 
man;  so  holy  loving  expands  his  heart. 

It  refines  the  nature.  It  cultivates  the  sym- 
pathies, trains  sensibilities,  is  full  of  hope.  Under 
the  influence  of  love,  our  spirits  grow  more  beau- 
tiful. In  one  family,  the  faces  look  harsh  and 
stern.  It  is  evident  at  a  glance  that  there  is  much 
friction  in  their  life.  In  another  household,  the  ex- 
pression is  entirely  different.  There  is  love  in  the 
home,  and  it  brings  habitual  beauty  of  expression 
to  the  countenance. 

It  gives  pleasure.  It  is  enjoyable,  the  most  de- 
lightful activity  of  the  soul.  In  the  Middle  Ages, 
there  arose  a  great  school  of  literature  having  for 
its  central  theme  romantic  love.     The  youth  of 


70  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

both  sexes  cling  to  their  affections  for  one  an- 
other, because  there  is  in  them  more  of  pleasure 
than  of  pain.  Otherwise  those  hearts  would  dis- 
continue loving.  We  read  that,  though  the  lady 
to  whom  Washington  Irving  was  tenderly  at- 
tached, died  in  his  youth;  his  affection  for  her  con- 
tinued warm  and  strong  even  in  his  later  life.  The 
sweetness  of  the  attachment  surpassed  the  sorrow 
of  the  separation.  And  one  reason  that  God  is  so 
happy,  is  that  He  forever  loves.  Take  all  the  pleas- 
ures of  human  lives,  and  multiply  them  by  infinity, 
they  cannot  equal  the  pleasure  felt  by  God. 

Love  soothes  and  refreshes.  A  weary  spirit  finds 
repose  in  thinking  of  those  it  loves.  As  a  soldier 
pillows  his  head  upon  his  arm,  he  rests  his  heart 
upon  memories  of  the  home  circle  far  away.  While 
wandering  in  eastern  lands,  though  the  stop  was 
only  for  a  day,  the  author's  traveling  companion 
would  adorn  his  table  with  the  picture  of  wife  and 
children.  To  that  fond  father  their  faces  were  a 
perpetual  solace. 

Itself  the  strongest  of  all  motives,  it  overcomes 
all  others;  ambition,  dread  of  pain,  passion  for 
money,  and  desire  to  live.  It  laughs  at  obstacles, 
perseveres  forever. 

And  it  is  a  motive  that  compels  respect.  Love 
that  is  sincere,  loyal,  sensible,  and  disinterested, 
makes  men  regard  it  as  with  uncovered  heads. 
When  Damon  was  condemned  to  death  by  Diony- 


LOVE  SURVIVING  DEATH.  71 

sius,  tyrant  of  Syracuse,  he  asked  permission  to 
settle  his  temporal  affairs,  while  his  friend  Pythias 
took  his  place,  ready  to  suffer  in  his  stead,  if  he 
did  not  return.  But  Damon  came  back  by  the 
time  appointed.  So  the  fidelity  of  each  friend  to 
the  other,  was  thus  proved.  Well  did  Dionysius 
release  them  both,  with  the  request  that  their  bond 
of  friendship  might  thereafter  also  include  himself. 

And  what  motive  could  command  more  pro- 
found and  unreserved  reverence  than  the  disinter- 
ested love  of  Christ  for  sinful  men? 

Of  all  motives,  love  gives  the  highest  inspira- 
tion. When  a  man  no  longer  has  those  whom  he 
can  love,  his  heart  begins  to  die.  Among  the  Alps 
about  Grindelwald  rise  the  Schreckhorn,  the  Wet- 
terhorn,  and  Eiger.  Some  years  ago,  a  Swiss  phy- 
sician, with  two  guides,  left  Grindelwald,  and 
visited  what  is  called  "the  Upper  Glacier,"  intend- 
ing then  to  cross  over  to  the  Lauteraar  Glaciers 
on  the  other  slope,  and  descend  on  that  other  side. 
The  trio  were  never  heard  of  more.  Another 
party  went  out  to  seek  them.  A  guide  was  let 
down  by  a  rope  150  feet  into  crevasse  after 
crevasse  in  vain.  The  missing  men  doubtless  had 
fallen  through  one  of  the  deep-  dark  rifts  of  the 
glacier,  into  the  stream  that  was  running  far  be- 
low, and  been  borne  in  beneath  the  ice,  beyond  the 
least  hope  of  discovery.  "Perished  in  the  glaciers 
of  Lauteraar,"  was  all  that  could  be  said.  And  the 
man  who,   by  selfishness  or  sin,   has   sunk  away 


72  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

from  noble  loves,  has  fallen  into  the  crevasses  of 
a  moral  glacier,  in  which  he  will  be  dwarfed  with 
the  frosts  and  snows  of  a  spiritual  death.  We 
knew  a  Christian  man,  whose  entire  family  were 
in  their  graves.  He  had  lost  every  relative  save 
those  quite  distant.  He  wore  crape  perpetually. 
All  the  sweet  human  inspirations  of  his  life  were 
gone. 

But  Jacob  served  for  Rachel  seven  years.  And 
they  seemed  but  a  few  days  for  the  love  he  bore 
her.  Then,  when  he  found  he  had  obtained  her 
not,  he  served  yet  other  seven  years.  His  love 
for  Rachel  was  so  strong.  We  know  not  how 
often  Jacob  was  moved  in  heart,  when  he  perhaps 
saw  upon  the  face  of  Benjamin  the  look  he  had 
loved  upon  Rachel's  face.  Or  how  often  he  came 
to  gaze  upon  her  tomb.  In  the  frosty  morning, 
you  ride  from  Jerusalem  by  the  Joppa  gate,  south 
on  the  Bethlehem  road  about  four  miles.  There, 
on  the  east  side  of  the  way,  is  the  tomb  of  Rachel. 
There,  1729  years  before  Christ,  she  was  laid  away 
to  rest.  There,  over  thirty-six  centuries  ago, 
Jacob  bowed  down  and  wept  for  the  wife  of  his 
youth.  You  rein  up,  and  uncover.  Your  eyes 
moisten  in  sympathetic  grief.  That  love  is  im- 
mortal in  the  memory  of  the  world.  The  greatest 
and  the  most  memorable  deeds  of  human  history, 
have  probably  been  wrought  with  love  as  in  some 
way  the  incentive  that  impelled  them.  Love  for 
parent,   spouse,   friend,   child,   family,   enemy,   for 


LOVE  SURVIVING  DEATH.  73 

country,  and  for  God — these  are  the  truest  inspira- 
tions known  to  man. 

In  a  truly  great  nature,  this  is  the  noblest  main- 
spring of  action.  Only  when  a  man  loves,  does 
he  rise  toward  that  highest  plane  of  life  which  God 
designed  for  him.  The  greatest  inspiration  that 
comes  from  any  love,  is  that  which  flows  from  love 
for  God.  This  has  an  eternal  power,  and  grows 
on  forever  and  forever.  And,  in  the  divine  nature, 
the  great  motive  exhibited  is  love.  This  is  the 
chief  impulse  in  the  heart  of  each  member  of  the 
Holy  Trinity,  Each  has  revealed  that  love  as  the 
ground  motive  and  characteristic  of  his  soul. 

III.   True  love  is  immortal. 

This  exercise,  which  is  so  natural,  healthful, 
sweet,  strong  and  tender  in  its  inspiration,  shall 
last  forever. 

Then  here  at  once  the  question  rises,  "If  so, 
when  we  enter  the  other  world,  and  find  that  some 
of  those  we  loved  are  never  to  be  there,  how  can 
we  be  happy?" 

In  this  present  life,  the  fact  that  cherished 
friends  have  been  taken  away  forever,  is  not  per- 
mitted by  God  to  overwhelm  believers.  And  the 
just  fate  of  the  wicked  should  not  be  allowed  to 
destroy  the  happiness  of  the  righteous.  That  even 
members  of  our  own  families  are  lost,  does  not 
prevent  us  from  proceeding  upon  life's  way.  God 
so  sustains  His  children  that  these  things  are  en- 


1i  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

durable  even  in  our  present  state,  without  those 
greater  delights  which  soon  are  coming  in  the 
heavenly  life. 

Again  there  may  be  the  warmest  devotion  be- 
tween two  souls.  But  let  distance  separate  them, 
and  long  time  fly  by.  Their  affections  will  be 
chilled.  The  glowing  ardor  of  former  years  is  but 
a  thing  of  memory.  Thus  we  shall  outgrow  our 
yearnings  for  the  lost  ones  who  have  vanished 
from  our  sight.  And,  in  the  lapse  of  the  coming 
life,  the  longest  friendships  of  earth  will  seem  but 
momentary  as  contrasted  with  those  ages  that  are 
to  follow.  An  attachment  which  may  have  lasted 
through  all  our  pilgrimage  below,  will  in  those 
cycles  of  the  hereafter  be  like  a  momentary  inter- 
view with  some  stranger  on  the  street. 

But  further.  The  individuality  of  the  lost  will 
be  entirely  changed.  No  longer  are  they  the  same. 
Here  was  an  accomplished  young  man,  lovable  and 
beloved.  But  now  he  has  become  old,  bloated  by 
debauchery,  disfigured  by  disease  and  vice,  loath- 
some in  person,  and  fiendish  In  disposition.  His 
early  companions  would  not  know  him.  They 
could  not  love  him.  They  would  shrink  from  him 
with  horror  and  revulsion.  And  It  shall  be  thus 
with  the  lost.  Such  changes  have  passed  o'er 
them,  there  Is  nothing  which  former  friends  can 
now  note  as  familiar.  Nothing  which  can  by  any 
possibility  be  loved.  Where  once  was  love,  can 
now  be  but  disgust  and  loathing. 


LOVE  SURVIVING  DEATH.  tS 

Moreover  in  our  heavenly  life  there  will  come 
such  views  of  God's  righteousness,  that,  in  all  His 
judgments  we  shall  perfectly  concur.  His  justice 
is  as  wonderful  as  His  mercy.  And  we  shall  realize 
that  it  is  wisest,  best,  and  necessary  that  He  should 
deal  with  the  wicked  as  He  does.  We  shall  be 
like  the  spirits  in  Revelation.  (Chap.  i6;  5-7). 
For,  when  God  sends  judgment  upon  sinners,  one 
angel  says,  "Thou  art  righteous,  O  Lord,  which 
art,  and  wast,  and  shall  be,  because  thou  hast 
judged  thus."  And  another  out  of  the  altar  says, 
"Even  so,  Lord  God  Almighty,  true  and  right- 
eous are  thy  judgments."  We  shall  be  in  perfect 
sympathy  with  all  He  does. 

Then  there  is  the  comfort  He  bestows,  with  ob- 
livion of  every  sorrow.  "He  shall  wipe  away  all 
tears  from  their  eyes." 

Those  old  attachments  all  give  place  to  highest, 
holiest  love.     And  this  can  never  die. 

Unholiness  in  the  person  loved,  must  tend  to 
dampen  the  affection.  Unholiness  in  the  heart 
that  loves,  must  tend  to  vitiate  the  love.  Unholy 
souls  shall  lose  at  last  all  lovableness,  and  all  power 
to  love.  These  are  taken  away  from  sinners.  In 
their  coming  life,  they  shall  have  no  objects  that 
are  worthy  of  any  human  love.  And  the  soul  is 
so  debased  that  true  and  healthful  love  can  never- 
more be  known.     Hell  is  the  home  of  hate. 

The  truest  type  of  mutual  love  seems  to  imply 
holiness  in  the  person  loved,  and  in  the  person 


76  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

loving.  The  highest  reciprocal  afifection  can  exist 
only  between  two  hearts,  both  of  whom  love  God. 
Rachel  was  a  worshipper  of  God.  Jacob  was  try- 
ing to  be  holy.  There  was  the  love  between  Jona- 
than and  David,  which  lasted  on  David's  side  for 
two  generations,  and  was  proved  by  what  David 
did  for  the  family  of  Jonathan,  after  their  father 
had  been  long  dead.  But  both  David  and  Jona- 
than were  worshippers  of  God. 

Love  must  be  immortal. 

Because  the  soul  is  immortal,  and  love  is  the 
natural  action  of  sanctified  and  holy  souls.  We 
shall  be  transfigured  into  the  spiritual  likeness  of 
Christ. 

So  there  will  be  great  increase  of  our  power  to 
love.  The  heart  will  have  unlimited  capacity  for 
loving.  Our  love  will  be  spontaneous.  We  shall 
love  all  whom  God  and  Christ  love;  otherwise  we 
cannot  truly  love  Christ  and  God. 

Everybody  will  be  lovable.  "We  all,  beholding 
as  in  a  glass  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  are  changed 
into  the  same  image,  from  glory  to  glory."  We 
shall  be  like  Christ  in  loveliness.  Our  friends 
there  will  be  more  winning  and  lovable  than  ever 
here  on  earth.  We  cannot  help  loving  them.  Of 
love  at  first  sight  there  will  be  many  cases. 

We  all  shall  be  members  of  the  body  of  Christ. 
Hence  will  love  one  another.  Everybody  will  love 
everybody  else. 


LOVE  SURVIVING  DEATH.  77 

We  see  the  course  that  Jesus  takes.  Having 
risen  from  the  dead,  and  entered  upon  His  glori- 
fied life,  He  goes  straight  back  to  His  former 
earthly  friends;  the  Apostles,  Mary,  Salome,  the 
ministering  women,  and  others.  These,  who  were 
beloved  by  Him  before,  are  equally  cherished  by 
Him  now. 

In  this  eternal  love  which  there  prevails,  we 
surely  shall  find  preserved  all  the  special  types  of 
aftection  that  were  dear  to  us  on  earth. 

First.  Usually  the  primal  earthly  love  of  which 
we  have  knowledge,  is  that  from  the  parent.  And 
usually  the  first  love  we  exercise,  is  that  for  the 
parent.  But  this  love  between  parent  and  child 
must  certainly  go  on  above.  The  relation  between 
Christian  parents  and  Christian  children  is  eternal. 
"Many  shall  come  from  the  east  and  west,  and  shall 
sit  down  with  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob  in 
the  kingdom  of  heaven."  From  the  manner  in 
which  these  patriarchs  are  mentioned,  evidently 
there  are  among  them  the  closest  ties.  Surely 
Abraham  loves  Isaac,  Isaac  loves  Jacob,  and  Jacob 
loves  his  twelve  sons.  All  that  is  certain.  But 
with  the  patriarchs  are  of  course  their  wives, 
Sarah,  Rebekah,  and  Rachel,  all  sitting  down  in 
the  kingdom  of  God.  Sarah  loves  Isaac,  Rebekah 
loves  Jacob,  and  Rachel  loves  her  children.  On 
earth,  the  devotion  of  these  mothers  to  their  sons 
was  very  probably  stronger,  more  self-sacrificing 


78  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

and  self-forgetful  than  the  love  of  the  fathers  for 
those  sons.  If  the  love  of  the  father  for  his  son 
is  preserved  in  the  other  world,  much  more  must 
the  love  of  the  mother  for  that  son  be  continued. 

But  the  Scripture  obviously  indicates  that  Isaac 
loves  his  father  Abraham.  Then  he  must  also 
love  his  mother  Sarah.  Jacob  loves  Isaac,  and  he 
must  also  love  his  mother  Rebekah.  The  twelve 
sons  of  Jacob  must  love  him.  And  each  son  must 
love  his  own  mother.  Jacob  also  loves  his  daugh- 
ter Dinah,  and  loves  his  daughters-in-law.  And, 
in  turn,  these  must  love  their  parents.  So  David 
says  of  his  departed  child,  "I  shall  go  to  him,  but 
he  shall  not  return  to  me."  (II.  Sam.  12;  23). 
Plainly  he  expects  the  love  between  himself  and 
his  child  to  continue  in  the  other  world.  So  with 
Hannah  and  Samuel.  They  must  love  each  other 
in  the  heavenly  life.  So  Lois,  Eunice,  and  Tim- 
othy must  love  one  another. 

Remember  how  the  great,  tender,  yearning 
heart  of  Monica,  followed  her  son  through  the 
early  years  of  his  dissipation,  doubt,  and  rejection 
of  God.  How  she  clung  to  him,  prayed  for  him, 
wept  over  him;  until  at  last  she  saw  him  launched 
on  his  illustrious  career.  Then  she  entered  the 
celestial  world.  Can  we  conceive  such  a  thing  as 
that  she  is  now  indifferent  to  him,  and  no  longer 
loves  him  there?  And  consider  St.  Augustine's 
own  great,  passionate,  devoted  nature;  and  the 
anguish  which  he  suffered,  when  she  was  taken 


LOVE  SURVIVING  DEATH.  79 

from  him;  his  life-long,  loving  remembrance  of  her 
and  of  her  prayers.  But  now  these  two  spirits, 
mother  and  son,  are  in  the  other  world,  it  is  in- 
conceivable that  the  tie  between  them  should  be 
parted.  We  must  think  of  it  as  stronger  than  it 
ever  was  before. 

Or  take  any  other  Christian  mother,  who  has 
brooded  over  her  children,  taught  them,  prayed 
for  them,  and  clung  to  them,  until  at  last  she  has 
brought  them  into  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  And 
now  they  all  have  entered  the  heavenly  life.  We 
are  constrained  to  believe,  from  the  very  nature  of 
the  hearts  of  a  Christian  mother  and  her  sanctified 
children,  they  all  must  love  one  another  in  that 
other  world.  But  so  with  any  Christian  father  and 
Christian  child.  They  also  must  love  each  other. 
That  a  child,  brought  to  salvation  by  his  mother 
and  father,  should  in  the  future  life  regard  these 
parents  with  indifference,  is  an  idea  the  mind  in- 
stantly rejects.     It  is  beyond  credence. 

When  the  daughter  of  Cicero  died,  her  grief- 
stricken  father  retired  to  his  villa,  to  comfort  his 
bursting  heart,  if  possible,  with  the  sayings  of  phi- 
losophy. Witness  the  intolerable  agony  in  the 
soul  of  that  great  man,  who  had  no  light  from  the 
gospel.  Suppose  such  a  nature  is  brought  to  a 
knowledge  of  salvation,  and  received  into  the 
world  of  light,  there  to  meet  his  daughter,  who 
also  has  been  saved;  would  he  not  feel  a  special 
attachment  to  her,  and  love  for  her?    And,  if  the 


80  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

daughter  had  a  nature  Hke  her  father's,  would  she 
not  with  reciprocal  affection  love  him  ? 

A  young  mother  holds  upon  her  knee  the  little 
lifeless  form  of  her  only  child.  It  is  arrayed  for 
burial.  She  shall  hear  no  more  the  little  voice  that 
cooed  and  crowed.  She  is  soon  to  take  her  last 
look  at  the  cherub  face,  which  dimpled  once  with 
smiles.  Her  heart  is  crushed.  But  there  is  hope 
for  her.  She  and  her  child  are  to  meet  again. 
She  may  say,  as  did  David  of  his  little  boy,  "I  shall 
go  to  him;  but  he  shall  not  return  to  me."  Surely 
he  loves  her. 

Once,  when  Henry  Ward  Beecher's  congrega- 
tion had  assembled  for  their  mid-week  worship, 
he  asked  them  to  join  with  him  in  giving  thanks 
to  God,  because,  in  answer  to  his  prayers,  all  of 
his  children  had  been  brought  into  the  kingdom 
of  Christ.  But,  when  he  entered  the  Unseen  Holy, 
did  he  instantly  become  indifferent  to  those  chil- 
dren over  whom  he  had  prayed  so  many  years? 
And,  when  they  have  all  entered  into  life,  will  they 
have  no  special  affection  for  their  father?  Such  a 
thing  is  scarce  conceivable. 

Second.  Usually  the  next  love  that  rises  in  the 
human  breast,  is  that  for  brother  or  sister. 

Consider  the  twelve  patriarchs  and  their  sister 
Dinah.  Surely  in  their  maturer  years  there  must 
have  been  strong  attachment  among  them.  It  is 
not  conceivable  that,  in  the  future  life,  these  at- 


LOVE  SURVIVING  DEATH.  81 

tachments  do  not  continue.  As  the  children  there 
must  love  their  parents,  so  also  one  another.  An- 
drew and  Peter  were  brothers  by  blood,  and  broth- 
ers in  the  apostleship.  So  were  James  and  John. 
But  those  brothers  must  now  stand  in  relations  of 
peculiar  nearness  to  the  Saviour  in  the  other 
world.  What  reason  can  possibly  be  suggested 
for  the  view  that,  though  they  loved  each  other 
on  earth,  while  not  absolutely  holy,  now,  in  the 
state  of  perfect  holiness,  they  do  not  love  each 
other  ?  Lazarus,  having  been  raised  from  the  dead, 
goes  straight  back  to  his  home,  to  his  sisters  Mary 
and  Martha.  The  old  loves  are  strong  within  him 
as  before.  Jesus  said,  "Whosoever  shall  do  the 
will  of  God,  the  same  is  my  brother,  and  my  sister, 
and  mother."  (Mark  3;  35).  But  these  are  inde- 
structible relations.  They  imply  indestructible 
ties.  When  a  person  who  on  earth  did  the  will 
of  God  has  become  a  glorified  saint;  he  is  still 
brother  and  sister  and  mother  of  Jesus.  Of  course 
Jesus  loves  him — brother,  sister  and  mother.  But, 
as  Jesus  was  the  ideal  man  on  earth,  so  He  is  the 
ideal  man  in  Heaven.  And  all  who  are  like  Jesus 
in  the  other  world  love  their  brothers,  sisters  and 
mothers. 

Third.  Then  comes  the  love  of  friend  for  friend. 

From  the  very  nature  of  the  human  heart,  it  is 
impelled  to  select  some  individual  or  individuals 
upon  whom  to  lavish  special  affection.     While  it 


82  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

may  love  all,  it  cannot  love  all  equally.  Even  Jesus 
did  not  love  all  alike.  Though  He  was  no  re- 
specter of  persons,  He  had  a  disciple  whom  He 
particularly  loved.  He  does  not  love  all  alike  in 
the  other  world.  There  are  degrees  of  glory, 
honour  and  love.  Everything  points  toward  the 
existence  of  special  attachments  and  friendships  in 
the  skies. 

The  fact  already  noted  that  Heaven  is  so  fre- 
quently figured  under  the  image  of  a  continued 
banquet,  would  seem  to  unmistakably  imply  that 
saints  shall  hereafter  enjoy  in  Heaven  relations  to 
some  extent  resembhng  the  special  intimacies  of 
earth.  "Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob,  and  all  the 
prophets."  Then  Elijah  and  Elisha  among  them. 
Friends  on  earth,  they  must  be  friends  in  Heaven. 
David  and  Jonathan  are  there.  All  the  apostles 
are  there.  But  there  were  special  friendships 
among  them;  also  between  them  and  other  be- 
lievers, as  between  Paul  and  Silas,  Peter  and 
Mark,  Paul  and  Timothy.  It  seems  impossible 
that  these  friendships  should  not  be  continued 
among  them  in  Heaven. 

Lazarus,  the  former  beggar,  is  now  in  the  bosom 
of  Abraham.  There  must  be  between  them  a  ten- 
der tie.  There  were  those  whom  Jesus  loved  as 
friends  on  earth;  as  John,  Peter,  and  the  other 
apostles;  Lazarus  of  Bethany,  his  sisters  Mary  and 
Martha;  also  others.  Having  by  resurrection  en- 
tered His  glorified  state,  He  returns  at  once  to 


LOVE  SURVIVING  DEATH.  83 

these  former  friends.  The  tie  between  Him  and 
them  is  abiding  still.  They,  entering  their  glori- 
fied state,  must  have  for  Him  greater  affection 
than  before.  These  friendships  certainly  are  eter- 
nal. 

Hence  Christian  friendships  become  peculiarly 
sacred.  Because  they  have  promise  of  the  life  that 
now  is,  and  that  which  is  to  come.  As  we  dream 
about  their  continuance  in  the  other  world,  how 
pleasant  to  think  that  they  will  there  be  purified 
from  their  present  rudeness  and  faults.  Hence, 
in  the  light  of  the  Christian  faith,  the  duties  and 
joys  of  friendship  here  become  more  exalted  and 
glorified. 

Fourth.  But  stronger  than  all  these  preceding 
ties,  is  that  of  the  conjugal  relation.  A  man  shall 
leave  his  father  and  his  mother,  and  shall  cleave 
unto  his  wife. 

To  be  sure,  in  Heaven  they  neither  marry  nor 
are  given  in  marriage.  This  means  simply  that 
there  is  no  increase  by  births,  even  as  there  is  no 
decrease  by  deaths.  But  it  does  not  imply  that 
the  present  bonds  of  attachment  do  not  remain. 
It  is  never  intimated  that  the  affection  between 
husband  and  wife  will  ever  become  extinct.  The 
loving  hearts  vowed  to  each  other  that  their  mu- 
tual fidelity  should  be  eternal.  And  we  do  not 
know  a  single  evidence  that  the  conjugal  affection, 
so  sweet  and  strong  on  earth,  is  not  active  in  the 


84  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

other  world.  "Many  waters  cannot  quench  love, 
neither  can  the  floods  drown  it."  Of  course  there 
may  come  in  human  Hfe  more  than  one  marital  re- 
lation. Of  the  various  possibilities  in  this  respect 
we  cannot  follow  each  one  in  detail.  We  only  de- 
velope  the  general  principle  in  its  simplicity. 

Consider  Adam  and  Eve.  Can  they  ever  be- 
come oblivious  of  the  union  which  existed  between 
them  on  earth?  Will  they  ever  be  estranged  from 
each  other  in  feeling?  We  cannot  believe  it.  They 
twain  are  one  flesh.  What  God  hath  joined  to- 
gether, the  transient  separation  by  death  cannot 
put  asunder. 

In  the  land  beside  the  Nile,  where  the  palaces 
of  the  Pharaohs  rise  with  stately  majesty,  an  old 
man  lies  a  dying.  Old  faces  look  upon  him,  old 
forms  go  trooping  past.  Spirits  from  the  unseen 
world  are  hovering  near.  It  is  the  patriarch 
Jacob,  who  has  achieved  the  greater  name  of  Israel 
— "Warrior  Prince  of  God."  By  inspiration  he  be- 
holds the  events  that  are  to  be,  and  utters  predic- 
tions of  the  future.  But  amid  his  dreams  of  gen- 
erations yet  to  come,  rise  memories  of  years  long 
gone.  Toward  the  wife  of  his  youth,  whom  he 
now  is  soon  to  meet,  his  heart  turns  with  unspeak- 
able affection.  It  is  filled  with  tender  memories  of 
her.  "As  for  me,  when  I  came  from  Padan,  Rachel 
died  by  me  in  the  land  of  Canaan  in  the  way,  when 
yet  there  was  but  a  little  way  to  come  to  Ephrath; 
and  I  buried  her  there  in  the  way  to  Ephrath;  the 


LOVE  SURVIVING  DEATH.  85 

same  is  Bethlehem."  (Gen.  48;  7).  A  little  later, 
when  he  and  Rachel  met,  did  he  no  longer  care 
for  her  who  had  been  the  idol  of  his  Hfe?  He 
loved  Rachel  more  than  he  loved  his  father  and 
his  mother.  But  that  love  for  Isaac  is  still  domi- 
nating Jacob's  heart  in  the  other  world.  Then 
why  should  not  his  love  for  Rachel  be  even 
stronger  still  within  him? 

Imagine  any  Christian  couple,  who  have  walked 
together  fifty  years,  then  died  together,  and  en- 
tered the  New  Jerusalem.  Is  it  possible  there 
will  be  an  entire  ceasing  of  afifection?  From  the 
natural  constitution  of  the  heart,  there  must  be 
attachment  between  them  still.  In  the  hour  of 
bereavement,  how  strong  the  tie  is  often  shown 
to  be !  When  the  wife  of  John  Stuart  Mill  was 
taken  from  him,  it  is  said  that  he  moved  to  apart- 
ments whence  he  could  overlook  her  grave.  His 
heart  was  there  where  his  loved  one  lay.  While 
his  life  lasted  here  on  earth,  his  attachment  could 
not  die.  Yet  we  do  not  know  that  he  had  any 
hope  of  reunion  beyond  the  sepulchre. 

But,  to  the  Christian,  the  open  grave  of  the  be- 
liever is  a  window  into  heaven.  Have  we  not  read 
that,  when  Bunsen  was  passing  up  from  earth,  he 
expressed  to  his  wife  these  sentiments,  "We  have 
loved,  we  love  now,  we  shall  love  forever."  So 
on  his  tomb  they  wrote  those  thoughts  in  Latin, 
"Amavimus,  Amamus,  Amabimus." 


86  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

Robert  Browning,  after  his  wife's  departure, 
wrote  thus: — 

"Of  a  sudden  the  worst  turns  the  best  to  the 
brave, 

The  black  minutes  all  end. 
And  the  elements'  rage,  the  fiend-voices  that  rave 

Shall  dwindle,  shall  blend. 
Shall  change,  shall  become  first  peace,  then  a  joy, 

Then  light,  then  thy  breast. 
O  soul  of  my  soul!   I  shall  clasp  thee  again. 

And  with  God  be  the  rest." 

Jonathan  Edwards,  before  he  passed  from  earth, 
declared  to  his  wife  that  there  must  be  reunion  in 
the  other  world,  and  their  attachment  must  be 
eternal.  Scholar,  poet,  and  theologian,  thus  they 
affirm  their  faith  that  conjugal  love  shall  abide 
beyond  the  tomb. 

Christian  souls  who  have  loved  here,  shall  meet 
and  love  each  other  there.  To  their  enjoyment 
yonder,  interruptions  shall  never  come.  The  af- 
fection of  the  husband  for  the  wife  shall  still  con- 
tinue. The  affection  of  the  wife  for  her  husband, 
which  is  apt  to  be  truer  and  holier  than  his  for 
her,  shall  still  live  on  in  Heaven.  Christ  loves 
the  Church  as  the  bridegroom  loves  the  bride. 
But  this  affection  between  Him  and  the  Church  is 
an  everlasting  one.  And  here  would  seem  to  be 
another  argument,  implying  that  the  love  between 


LOVE  SURVIVING  DEATH.  St 

the  husband  and  the  wife  shall  go  on  forever 
there.  For  what  e'er  can  estrange  two  kindred 
hearts  ? 

Fifth.  But,  in  the  life  of  the  other  world,  there 
must  be  a  general  blending  of  all  these  loves. 

Many  different  kinds  of  afifection  must  exist  to- 
gether. In  the  very  conception  of  human  life, 
there  is  the  idea  of  solidarity,  with  interlacing  and 
interweaving  of  attachments,  community  of  inter- 
ests, innumerable  multiplicity  of  ties  and  bonds. 
Without  these  human  life  can  scarce  exist  at  all. 
But,  from  the  very  nature  of  man,  in  Heaven  this 
must  be  inevitable  to  a  still  greater  extent.  There 
is  the  unity,  the  strong-woven  texture  of  an  infi- 
nite family,  with  all  family  loves  and  ties. 

When  Christ  says  His  purpose  is,  "that  ye  may 
eat  and  drink  at  my  table  in  my  kingdom,"  the 
idea  is  that  .of  a  great  and  constant  family  re- 
union. Christ  prays  for  His  disciples,  "that  they 
may  be  one,  as  we  are"  (John  17;  11);  "as  thou 
Father  art  in  me,  and  I  in  them,  that  they  also 
may  be  one  in  us"  (v.  21);  "that  they  may  be  one, 
even  as  we  are  one"  (22).  Without  at  present 
discussing  the  other  aspects  in  which  God  and 
Christ  are  one,  we  must  admit  that  they  certainly 
are  one  in  love  and  affection.  Therefore  Christ's 
disciples  must  be  one  in  the  same  way. 

"Whosoever  shall  do  the  will  of  my  Father  *  * 
the  same  is  my  brother,  and  sister,  and  mother." 


88  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

(Matt.  12;  50).  But  all  Christians  are  trying  to 
do  the  will  of  His  Father.  Therefore  all  saints 
sustain  to  Him  the  relation  which  would  be  repre- 
sented by  a  union  of  the  relations  of  brother,  sis- 
ter, and  mother.  But,  if  all  are  brothers  and  sis- 
ters of  Christ,  of  course  they  are  brothers  and  sis- 
ters of  one  another,  and  children  of  God.  All  who 
love  Christ,  the  great  head  of  the  Church,  must 
love  the  glorified  Church,  which  is  His  body. 

All  pure  and  holy  relationships,  so  far  as  afifec-- 
tion  and  attachment  go,  must  continue  in  the  other 
world.  If  we  are  in  Christ,  all  the  great  loves  of 
our  lives  will  there  be  glorified  on  the  very  largest 
scale. 

God  said  to  Noah,  "Come  thou  and  all  thy 
house  into  the  ark."  (Gen.  7;  i).  He  calls  the 
entire  family,  with  all  their  relations  to  one  an- 
other. But  this  involved  a  preservation  of  the  at- 
tachment, loves,  and  friendships  of  that  family. 
And  when  Noah's  family  enter  Heaven,  it  must 
be  just  the  same.  When  Abraham,  Isaac,  and 
Jacob,  sit  down  in  the  kingdom;  here  are  three 
generations  represented,  with  all  their  domestic 
ties.  But,  if  these  three  generations  are  there, 
then  the  Twelve  Tribes  of  Israel,  with  many 
branches  and  many  generations.  But,  among 
them,  a  great  variety  of  strong  and  precious  af- 
filiations must  continue  in  that  other  world.  And 
these  must  live  forever.  Then  likewise  all  na- 
tions,  tribes,   and   tongues,   with  their  affections 


LOVE  SURVIVING  DEATH.  89 

and  attachments.  The  heavenly  congregations  of 
the  saints  are  one  great  household,  all  knit  to- 
gether by  innumerable  sweet  and  holy  bonds. 

In  Christian  hearts,  the  mighty  attachments  are 
all  to  be  conserved.  With  voices  that  echo  to  the 
music  of  the  brook,  these  great  loves  seem  to 
sing, 

"The  years  may  come,  the  years  may  go, 
But  we  go  on  forever." 

As  the  believer  stands  in  the  other  world,  a 
group  of  joyous  figures  move  before  him,  like 
birds  of  the  air.  "My  children  there  I  see."  A 
seraph  goes  sweeping  by,  and  turns  her  face  to- 
ward his.  "That  is  my  wife."  He  hears  a  voice 
as  of  archangel  singing.  "My  father's  voice  I 
hear.     Oh  how  I  love  them  all!" 

Sixth.  But  all  these  loves  must  be  subordinate 
to  that  for  Christ.  We  cannot  love  any  finite  being 
so  much  as  we  love  Him.  The  supreme  allegiance 
of  heart  and  afifection  must  be  to  Him.  And  that 
must  far  exceed  all  other  loves.  "He  that  loveth 
father  or  mother  more  than  me,  is  not  worthy  of 
me;  he  that  loveth  son  or  daughter  more  than 
me,  is  not  worthy  of  me."  And  our  future  love 
for  Christ  must  surpass  any  devotion  to  Him 
which  we  felt  on  earth;  for  we  shall  be  altogether 
holy  then.     Love  may  be  a  principle  here,  but 


90  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

there  it  may  be  a  passion.  No  longer  from  a 
sense  of  duty,  but  from  irresistible  impulses  of  de- 
light and  adoration. 

Probably  the  greatest  affection  possible  to  hu- 
man life,  will  not  be  known  until  we  see  Christ  in 
His  glory.  Then  we  shall  know  what  it  is  to  love. 
He  will  inspire  us  with  the  highest  passion  of 
which  the  finite  mind  is  capable.  We  shall  love  as 
much  as  it  is  possible  for  created  souls  to  love. 
And  we  shall  love  thus  forever.  In  Ezekiel's 
vision,  the  cherubim  who  ministered  before  the 
Son  of  God  "ran  and  returned  as  the  appearance 
of  a  flash  of  lightning."  (Ezek.  i ;  14).  This  is 
partly  expressive  of  their  executiveness;  but  per- 
haps also  partly  indicative  of  the  attractiveness  of 
Christ;  the  ineffable  beauty,  magnetism,  and  love- 
liness, which  made  them,  when  absent,  hasten  to 
seek  again  His  presence.  And  as  many  brooks 
are  merged  at  last  in  the  glory  of  the  sea,  so 
doubtless  all  other  loves  shall  somehow  seem  to 
be  but  preparatory  to  and  promotive  of  this  love 
for  Christ. 

And  our  ability  to  love  shall  grow  and  grow 
forever.  The  heart  shall  have  unlimited  develop- 
ment in  the  power  of  loving.  Its  ranges  of  affec- 
tion shall  forevermore  increase.  There  shall  be 
vast  depths  of  feehng,  tremendous  heights,  and 
wonderful  outgoings.  These  shall  become  more 
and  more  like  those  in  the  heart  of  God.  Our 
ability  to  take  delight  in  love,  with  all  its  power, 


LOVE  SURVIVING  DEATH.  91 

revelations,  and  inspirations,  must  forevermore 
wax  mightier.  Think  of  the  pleasure  God  takes 
in  loving!  But  our  pleasure  may  approximate  to 
His.  And  we  shall  be  happier  in  our  love  for  Him 
than  in  all  other  loves. 

As  our  love  for  one  another,  and  our  love  for 
Father,  Son,  and  Spirit,  grows  more  and  more 
intense  and  joyous,  it  shall  be  more  and  more 
like  the  eternal,  indestructible,  infinite  afifection 
among  the  three  Persons  in  the  Godhead.  For 
there  is  the  ideal  relation,  perfect  in  harmony,  in 
love,  and  in  delight.  The  Sacred  Three  love  one 
another  with  the  highest  and  most  perfect  love 
conceivable  by  minds  human  or  divine.  And  they 
love  thus  forever.  But  our  love  must  reflect 
something  of  that  which  exists  in  the  holy,  loving, 
and  blended  Three. 


PART   SECOND 


THE  ENTIRE  UNIVERSE  THE  CHRISTIAN'S  FU- 
TURE EMPIRE.  OR  TRANSCENDENT  PHYSICAL. 
POWERS,  PRIVILEGES,  AND  POSSIBILITIES  OF  THE 
COMING  LIFE. 


THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE.  93 


PART  SECOND 

As  an  intelligent  believer  advances  in  his  Chris- 
tian career,  his  thoughts  turn  more  and  more 
upon  what  is  to  develope  in  that  larger  existence 
beyond  the  grave.  We  contemplate  with  increas- 
ing interest  its  approaching  social  intercourse;  its 
companionships  with  one  another,  and  with  God. 
And,  regarding  this  subject,  the  Bible  reveals 
some  things  in  a  very  plain  way. 

But  the  suggestiveness  of  inspiration  concern- 
ing our  heavenly  existence  is  by  no  means  limited 
to  those  more  obvious  doctrines  about  which  the 
leading  sects  of  the  Christian  world  are  generally 
agreed.  There  are  in  Scripture  other  things 
which  have  not  yet  been  generally  interpreted  as 
throwing  any  special  light  upon  our  prospects  and 
activities  in  the  celestial  state;  yet  which,  as  we 
believe,  are  strikingly  significant  regarding  them; 
their  import  most  profound  and  fascinating.  So 
we  will  now  study 

THE  BIBLICAL  TEACHING  THAT  THE  CHILDREN  OF 
GOD  ARE  TO  INHERIT  ALL  HIS  ILLIMITABLE  EM- 
PIRES; OR,  THE  TRANSCENDENT  PHYSICAL  POWERS, 
PRIVILEGES,  AND  POSSIBILITIES  OF  THE  COM- 
ING LIFE. 


CHAPTER  V 

THE  SCENE  OF  OUR  FUTURE  EXISTENCE  CANNOT  BE 
RESTRICTED    TO    THE    CITY    OF    GOD 

Earth  is  God's  foot-stool.  Heaven  is  His 
throne.  (Is.  66;  i.  Acts  7;  49).  But  His  kingdom 
is  the  universe.     And  to  this  there  is  no  limit. 

The  reasoning  of  the  ancient  Lucretius  that 
space  is  infinite,  would  seem  to  be  conclusive.  He 
argues  thus.  Either  space  is  infinite,  or  it  is  finite. 
Conceive  it  to  be  finite.  At  any  point  upon  its 
bound,  suppose  a  man  standing  with  bow  and 
arrow  in  his  hand,  and  trying  to  shoot  an  arrow 
beyond  the  frontiers  of  space.  If  the  arrow  goes 
beyond,  there's  space  beyond.  We  have  not  yet 
reached  the  bound.  If  the  arrow  does  not  go  be- 
yond the  limit,  then  something  impedes  it.  That 
something  occupies  space.  So  still  we  have  not 
reached  the  bound.  And,  wherever  space  may  be 
imagined  to  have  a  limit,  there,  by  that  bow-and- 
arrow  argument,  it  may  be  shown  that  no  bound 
of  space  has  yet  been  reached.  Therefore  space 
is  infinite. 

It  is  impossible  even  to  conceive  of  a  limit  to 

94 


FUTURE  NOT  RESTRICTED  TO  HEAVEN.    95 

space  in  any  direction  whatever.  The  idea  is  un- 
thinkable. For,  in  every  attempt  even  to  imagine 
such  Hmitation,  the  mind  is  forced  immediately  to 
admit  that,  outside  the  imagined  limit,  there  must 
be  more  space. 

And  the  Scriptures  seem  indirectly  to  confirm 
the  conclusion  of  Lucretius.  "Thus  saith  the 
Lord,  if  Heaven  above  can  be  measured,  and  the 
foundations  of  the  earth  searched  out  beneath,  I 
will  also  cast  ofif  all  the  seed  of  Israel  for  all  that 
they  have  done,  saith  the  Lord."  (Jer.  31;  37). 
What  strong  emphasis,  in  the  double  attestation 
with — "Thus  saith  the  Lord!"  The  foundations 
of  the  earth  are  the  hosts  of  stars,  which,  by  the 
bands  of  gravitation,  hold  earth  along  its  course. 
But,  all  through  the  Bible,  it  is  plainly  taught  that 
God  never  will  cast  off  all  the  seed  of  Israel. 
Hence  the  inference  is  that  we  never  can  search 
out  all  the  armies  of  the  stars;  and  that  Heaven 
above  never  can  be  measured. 

We  do  not  afifirm  that,  throughout  all  this  un- 
thinkable extent,  there  is  an  organized  cosmos; 
such  as  we  see  about  us.  Of  that  we  do  not  know. 
But,  so  far  as  human  ken  has  been  able  to  explore, 
that  organized  universe  extends.  And  the  space 
in  which  it  exists,  can  never  meet  a  limit.  Could 
we  fly  with  the  speed  of  the  lightning  throughout 
eternity,  we  should  traverse  but  a  portion  of  God's 
empire;  we  should  find  no  bound  to  space. 

Casually  taking  from  the  table  of  a  scholar  a 


96  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

recent  publication,  we  read  as  follows : — "The 
stars  have  unfolded  their  secret  majesty.  And,  in- 
stead of  proving  to  be  tiny  balls  of  light,  have 
been  resolved  into  galaxies  of  ordered  worlds,  in 
the  midst  of  which  our  immense  solar  system  is 
lost  Hke  a  dew-drop  on  a  landscape.  Every  step 
forward  in  astronomical  science  has  increased  this 
sense  of  amplitude,  till  the  human  imagination  is 
quite  powerless  to  take  it  in.  If  we  think  we  have 
mastered  the  idea,  it  is  only  because  we  have 
practically  ceased  to  think  about  it.  Beyond  the 
utmost  reach  of  our  imaginative  grasp,  this  vista 
of  the  physical  universe  stretches  out  on  all  hands, 
and  when  we  have  allowed  our  minds  to  fly  out 
along  the  pathways  which  lie  open  to  our  inspec- 
tion every  starry  night,  till  we  can  do  no  more, 
we  are  oppressed  by  the  thought  that,  even  then, 
we  have  scarcely  begun  to  realize  the  scope  of  the 
stupendous  vision.  This  enlargement  of  the  old 
parochial  astronomy  into  the  splendid  outlook  of 
the  present  day,  has  had  a  serious  efifect  on  re- 
ligious thought,  by  emphasizing  the  limitation  of 
our  earthly  habitation,  and  has  brought  home  to 
the  human  soul  a  crushing  sense  of  its  insignifi- 
cance." To  the  above  description,  there  are  many 
others  similar.  But  they  all  fall  short.  For  space 
is  infinite.  And  wherever  space  is,  there  is  God. 
Now,  through  how  much  of  this  world  of  space 
will  we  be  allowed  to  move,  in  our  communion 
with  God  and  with  one  another? 


FUTURE  NOT  RESTRICTED  TO  HEAVEN.         97 

The  Bible  seems  to  indicate  that  there  is  a 
place  in  which  God  specially  manifests  himself. 
And  this  men  call  Heaven.  We  reverently  accept 
and  cherish  the  orthodox  view  of  Heaven,  in  all 
its  fullness.  We  believe  it  is  based  upon  indisput- 
able utterances  of  the  Word. 

But  is  our  coming  life  to  be  limited  to  that  one 
special  place?  Or  to  any  special  sphere?  Would 
that  satisfy  us?  You  answer,  "Did  not  the  Psalm- 
ist say,  'I  shall  be  satisfied,  when  I  awaken  with 
thy  Hkeness?'"  (Ps.  17;  15).  Yes.  Satisfied 
spiritually.  There  shall  be  holiness  somewhat  like 
that  of  God.  And  this  shall  in  a  measure  satisfy. 
But  we  are  intellectual.  And  we  must  have  in- 
telligence more  like  His,  to  satisfy  the  soul.  Is 
He  satisfied  with  any  city,  even  the  New  Jeru- 
salem? Is  the  range  of  His  thought  and  action 
confined  to  this?  Then,  with  profound  reverence 
we  say  it,  in  time  even  the  New  Jerusalem  must 
fail  to  satisfy  the  intellectual  longings  of  glorified 
saints.  Their  thoughts  must  go  out  in  an  effort 
to  follow  the  thoughts  and  activities  of  God.  If  we 
were  confined  to  a  paradise  here,  or  on  any  one 
sphere  elsewhere,  there  by  and  by  must  come  a 
sense  of  everlasting  restriction  and  repression. 

From  such  a  conception  of  Heaven,  the  heart 
revolts,  the  intellect  forever  struggles  to  break 
away.  We  should  be  like  prisoners  upon  some 
rock  amid  the  seas,  which  the  ships  pass  by,  but 
come  not  nigh;  while  along  the  horizon  are  seen 


98  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

summits  of  mountains  upon  continents  which  must 
be  by  us  forever  unexplored. 

Though  the  Hebrews  possessed  Jerusalem  and 
other  cities,  in  the  land  of  promise,  they  were  not 
obliged  to  stay  therein,  but  could  go  forth  to  the 
entire  country  round,  or  even  to  foreign  lands. 
And  the  Biblical  description  of  the  heavenly  city 
by  no  means  precludes  the  idea  that  the  citizens 
thereof  may  go  out  at  will.  "The  gates  thereof 
shall  not  be  shut  at  all  by  day;  for  there  shall  be 
no  night  there."  (Rev.  21;  25).  While  the  na- 
tions of  the  redeemed  go  in,  it  is  nowhere  taught 
that  they  never  can  go  out. 

Through  the  endless  aeons  of  the  future,  as  we 
look  upon  yon  starry  hosts,  see  them  in  glorious 
play,  ablaze  with  evidences  of  intelligence  and 
power,  is  any  fuller  knowledge  of  them  to  be  for- 
ever beyond  our  reach?  Is  our  eternity  to  be 
passed  on  one  single  spot,  with  privileges  curtailed 
forever?  Is  that  state  to  be  a  hopeless  confine- 
ment? Is  glorified  man  to  be  like  an  insect  en- 
dowed with  immortal  life,  but  required  to  spend 
it  on  a  grain  of  sand  suspended  in  mid  air,  in  ever^ 
lasting  isolation?    No. 

To  assume  that  the  New  Jerusalem  is  a  city 
alone,  with  no  outlying  background  of  country,  no 
forests,  fields,  or  hills,  which  we  may  visit;  seems 
quite  incongruous.  Indeed  such  an  idea  is  almost 
unthinkable. 

Heaven  is  not  a  hmited  sphere,  on  which  our 


FUTURE  NOT  RESTRICTED  TO  HEAVEN.    99 

lives  must  end;  and  by  which  all  their  possibili- 
ties are  measured.  It  is  but  the  place  where  they 
begin.  It  is  the  centre  whence  they  spring.  It 
is  the  metropolis  from  which  we  are  to  journey 
toward  every  quarter.  We  believe  there  is  no  por- 
tion of  the  universe  which  the  child  of  God  may 
not  explore.  In  every  kingdom  of  space,  as  far 
as  God  himself  can  go,  so  far  may  His  children  fly. 
There  are  many  respects  in  which  the  privilege 
of  roaming  through  the  cosmos,  would  yield  peace, 
pleasure,  and  profit,  to  immortal  man.  So  we  now 
will  note 

SOME  REASONS  WHY  WE  MUST  DESIRE  TO  RANGE 
THROUGHOUT  THE  UNIVERSE. 

I.  Consider  merely  man's  love  for  beauty — his 
aesthetic  instincts,  which  are  a  fundamental  ele- 
ment in  the  human  soul. 

For  instance,  observe  the  vegetable  kingdom, 
and  the  things  connected  with  it.  You  havo 
viewed  the  stately  grandeur  of  the  giant  Sequoias 
in  the  Mariposa  Forest,  their  majestic  heights  ris- 
ing three  hundred  feet  in  air.  You  perchance 
have  looked  upon  Orizaba  with  its  coffee  groves, 
its  orange  and  banana  trees,  so  many  flowers,  so 
many  fruits.  What  a  startling  variety  and  pro- 
fusion! In  the  breast  of  him  who  beholds  them 
for  the  first  time,  they  cause  an  indescribable  thrill. 

Above   that   Mexican  land,   you   perhaps   have 


100        THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

climbed  some  height  Hke  Popocatapetl.  Have  be- 
held thence  a  sunrise  which  pen  and  pencil  to- 
gether could  not  portray.  And,  as  the  great  vol- 
canoes, Istaccihuatl,  Orizaba,  and  Malinchi,  came 
out  in  splendour  upon  the  horizon; you  saw  the  set- 
ting which  God  gave  those  preceding  pictures  of 
tropical  luxuriance.  And,  if  there  are  other  such 
flowers,  fruits,  forests,  and  scenes  in  other  worlds, 
your  eyes  would  fain  behold  them. 

You  have  seen  in  animated  nature  the  flash  of 
the  trout,  the  grace  of  the  deer,  the  variegated 
beauty  of  flying  fowl,  the  mighty  movement  of 
leviathan. 

You  have  looked  upon  inorganic  things;  as  the 
sea,  its  wreathed  smiles,  its  wrath  of  storms — 
when  the  sun  fled  far  away,  nor  dared  to  show 
his  face.  You  have  wandered  in  the  National 
Park  of  Wyoming.  Watched  the  dance  and  play 
of  its  geysers,  small  and  great;  its  bubbling  caul- 
drons of  color,  fitly  called  "the  paint  pots,"  in 
which  the  Almighty  shows  the  processes  of  mixing 
the  tints  and  hues  which  are  so  striking  there. 
You  have  studied  its  unique  marvels,  un- 
paralleled in  any  other  portion  of  the  globe.  While 
the  Teton  Mountains  rise  like  spectral  forms  upon 
the  far  horizon.  You  hear  the  foreign  traveller, 
who  has  been  there  many  times,  say  that  with  each 
visit  the  interest  rather  grows  than  wanes. 

You  coast  along  the  Alaskan  straits,  channels, 
bays,    and    sounds,    in    the    shadow    of    Alaska's 


PtJTURE  NOT  RESTRICTED  TO  HEAVEN.        101 

forest-mantled  hills.  Look  upon  the  Muir  Glacier. 
Hear  the  crash  and  boom  of  its  ever-moving  ice 
fields;  as,  through  a  stream  a  thousand  feet  in 
depth,  and  a  mile  in  width,  they  pour  their  masses 
into  Glacier  Bay.  Over  that  frozen  Niagara  of 
the  North,  you  see  the  icebergs  plunge  and  tum- 
ble, and  dive  and  wallow;  till,  at  their  tempesting 
of  the  waters,  your  steamer,  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
away,  is  tossing  like  a  leaf.  While,  above  the 
scene,  Mounts  Perouse  and  Crillon  shoot  up  over 
15,000  feet  in  air. 

You  have  witnessed  the  glories  of  the  Aurora 
on  an  Arctic  night,  as  the  Northern  Lights  shine 
and  play  with  magnificence  surpassing  any  ever 
wrought  by  man.  Now  purest  white,  then  all 
colours  of  the  rainbow.  Next  a  corona  all  ablaze 
with  splendour.  Sometimes  a  mountain  of  ef- 
fulgence. Then  from  one  side  great  auroral 
flushes,  like  mighty  armies,  sweep  across  the  sky 
to  beat  upon  that  mountain's  crests.  Then  from 
the  other  side  they  come.  Your  shadow  thrown 
now  toward  the  left,  now  toward  the  right. 

Sometimes  a  wonderful  canopy  is  hung  across 
the  zenith.  From  it  shoot  down  columns,  iris- 
coloured,  which  seem  to  rest  upon  the  snowy  waste 
around  you,  or  on  far-distant  shores.  Says  an- 
other, "Often  have  I  seen  a  cloud  of  light  flash 
swiftly  across  these  ever-changing  bars,  with  a  re- 
semblance so  natural  to  that  of  a  hand  across  the 
strings  of  a  harp,  that  I  have  suddenly  stopped 


102         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

to  listen  *  *  *  amid  the  death-like  silence."*  You 
feel  that,  despite  the  bitter  cold,  you  must  rever- 
ently uncover.  And  this  changing  kaleidoscopic 
display  continues  all  night  long. 

Each  landscape  has  a  beauty  of  its  own.  You 
can  hardly  tell  whether  tropical,  temperate,  or  Arc- 
tic scenery  is  most  wonderful  and  amazing. 

But  have  you  seen  all  that  God  can  do  in  pro- 
ducing beauty  of  flora  and  fauna,  of  garden  and  of 
wild  wood,  of  main  and  of  mountain,  as  He  ex- 
hibits His  love  for  the  beautiful?  Have  you  seen 
all  that  you  desire  to  see? 

Even  in  the  space  of  an  ordinary  life  here,  there 
often  comes  a  time  when  some  busy  traveller  has 
beheld  about  all  there  is  on  earth  that  is  worth 
visiting.  How  irksome  would  be  the  thought  of 
spending  eternity  on  this  globe,  or  on  any  other 
single  sphere !  For  there  would  dawn  a  day  when 
we  would  have  explored  every  nook  and  corner  of 
it.  And  there  would  be  scarce  any  possibihty  of 
discovering  new  beauties. 

Does  the  artist  feel  that,  having  looked  upon 
one  or  two  masterpieces,  he  can  be  therewith  con- 
tent, desiring  nothing  more?  Why  then  must  the 
aesthetic  soul,  filled  with  a  greater  love  for  beauty, 
now  that  soul  has  been  redeemed,  be  forever 
limited  to  the  beauties  of  a  single  world? 

2.    Next  consider  what  is  higher  and  more  im- 


*  Dr.    Egerton    R.    Young,    "Indian     Wigwams     and     Camp-Fires," 
Introduction. 


FUTURE  NOT  RESTRICTED  TO  HEAVEN.        103 

portunate — thirst   for   knowledge    of   a   scientific 
sort. 

In  the  mineral  kingdom,  with  all  that  it  may 
reveal.  So  in  the  vegetable  kingdom,  past  and 
present.  Is  the  botanist  satisfied  to  examine  two 
or  three  species  of  fossil  plants,  when  there  are 
about  10,000  in  all?  Two  or  three  specimens  of 
flowers  now  growing;  when  there  are  upon  earth 
about  400,000,  (a)  of  which  less  than  200,000  have 
been  described?  (b)  Does  he  desire  no  further 
exhibition  of  God's  creative  power  in  vegetation? 

But  are  we  to  believe  that  the  10,000  species  of 
plants  of  the  palaeozoic  ages,  and  the  400,000 
species  now  actually  living,  are  all  that  God  could 
ever  make? 

And  can  the  botanist  be  content  forever  with 
these  species  here  upon  the  globe,  when  there  may 
be  uncounted  numbers  of  other  forms  of  vegetable 
life  throughout  God's  universe? 

Is  the  naturalist  satisfied  with  examining  four 
or  five  rudimentary  species  of  animal  structure, 
while  the  great  animal  kingdom  is  to  him  un- 
known? He  desires  to  know  it  all.  And  are  we 
to  suppose  the  50,000  species  of  fossil  creatures, 
and  the  350,000  species  of  animals  at  present  liv- 
ing, (c)  are  all  God  has  ever  made  ?  Not  to  men- 
tion the  3,000  species  of  fossil  insects;  the  200,000- 

(a)  Succordo.  Quoted  by  Charles  E.  Bessey,  In  Johnson's  Cyclo- 
pedia,  Vol.  VIII,  page  454.     1896. 

(b)  Lester  F.  Ward.  In  Johnson's  Cyclopedia,  Vol.  VIII,  pago 
454.     1896. 

(c)  International   Cyclopedia.     Vol.   IV,   page   699.     1903. 


104        THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

300,000  species  of  insects  known  to  be  now  living, 
and  the  total  of  1,000,000  species  believed  to  be 
in  existence,  (d).  Are  we  to  be  limited  to  what 
there  may  be  of  animal  life  on  a  single  sphere,  and 
not  permitted  to  study  what  God  may  have  created 
elsewhere?  Especially  when,  in  the  material  uni- 
verse, the  most  amazing  evidences  and  illustra- 
tions of  design,  of  adaptation  of  means  to  ends,  of 
which  we  have  any  knowledge,  are  believed  to  be 
found  in  the  animal  world? 

Or  remember  that  crowning  science — theology, 
so  far  as  it  is  taught  in  nature.  Everywhere  about 
us  are  proofs  of  a  divine  presence.  Three  things 
are  necessary  to  constitute  personality :  mind,  will, 
and  heart.  When  these  three  are  found  combined, 
there  is  a  person. 

In  the  countless  amazing  evidences  of  wisdom, 
far-sighted  purpose,  wonderful  comprehensiveness 
of  relations  and  correlations,  displayed  on  every 
hand,  we  see  intelHgence — an  Infinite  Mind. 

In  the  code  upon  code  of  laws  in  nature,  ruHng 
every  known  thing,  organic  and  inorganic,  from 
the  polyp  to  the  archangel,  the  atom  to  the  planet, 
unchangeable  and  forever  operative,  we  see  the 
outworking  of  constant  and  mighty  voHtions — an 
Infinite  Will. 

So  the  divine  love  is  variously  and  forever 
shown.  In  the  adaptation  of  the  structure  of  each 
and  every  animal  to  the  climate  and  conditions 

(d)  Alpheus  S.  Packard.  In  Encyclopedia  Americana.  VoL  IX, 
Article   Insects.     1904. 


FUTURE  NOT  RESTRICTED  TO  HEAVEN.        105 

under  which  that  animal  must  live.  In  the  vision, 
hearing,  and  other  senses;  the  means  for  locomo- 
tion, for  defense,  and  for  attack,  given  to  different 
creatures.  In  the  fact,  said  to  be  established,  that 
science  has  never  yet  discovered  anywhere  an  or- 
gan whose  object  is  to  cause  pain  merely  for  the 
sake  of  pain.  In  the  provision  of  proper  food  for 
each  and  every  species  of  living  things,  animal- 
cule, fish,  beast,  bird,  and  man. 

In  the  instinct  within  each  individual,  at  all  of  a 
high  order,  which  inspires  every  possible  effort  at 
self-preservation,  and  at  self-protection  when  as- 
saulted. That  guides  the  antelope  across  the 
desert  to  the  unfailing  springs  or  water.  That 
teaches  the  migratory  birds  to  fly.  Here  is  the 
love  of  a  Creator,  manifested  in  that  impulse  which 
leads  each  creature  to  love  itself. 

In  those  loves  and  attachments  which  tend  to 
perpetuation  of  the  different  species  of  animals. 
Those  natural  propensions  which  direct  in  selec- 
tion of  hiding  places;  in  holes  and  burrows,  in 
tree-tops  and  cliffs;  where  there  will  be  security. 
Which  teaches  the  construction  of  nests  and 
homes,  as  so  strikingly  shown  in  the  bee  and  the 
beaver.  Which  develops  in  so  many  cases  such 
benignant  results.  In  the  parental  attachment 
which  leads  animals  to  protect  their  offspring.  The 
cunning  with  which  the  partridge  feigns  a  broken 
wing,  to  divert  attention  from  her  chicks.  The 
ferocity  of  the  she-bear  for  her  whelps.    Here  is 


106         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

the  love  of  a  Creator  shown  in  that  instinct  which 
makes  the  creature  love  its  young.  We  may  gen- 
eralize in  the  words  of  Goethe:  "There  is  in  the 
curious  and  kindly  operations  of  animal  instincts 
something  which,  whosoever  studies  and  does  not 
believe  in  God,  will  not  be  aided  by  Moses  and 
the  prophets.  In  these  instincts  I  perceive  what 
I  call  the  omnipresence  of  the  Deity,  who  has  ev- 
erywhere spread  and  implanted  a  portion  of  his 
endless  love,  and  has  intimated,  even  in  the  brute, 
as  a  germ,  those  qualities  which  blossom  to  per- 
fection in  the  noblest  forms  of  man." 

In  the  human  family,  consider  how  many  loves 
there  are;  how  strong  they  are;  those  of  parent 
for  child,  and  of  child  for  parent;  those  between 
sisters  and  brothers;  those  between  friend  and 
friend,  between  husband  and  wife;  those  for  one's 
country,  etc.  And  the  loves  in  the  human  heart 
are  evidences  unmistakable  of  the  love  of  God.  All 
these  affections  in  our  nature  were  caused  by  God 
Himself,  for  the  happiness  of  mankind;  and  are 
proofs  that  God  is  loving. 

The  tremendous  adjustments  of  the  greatest 
things,  the  mightiest  forces  in  nature,  so  as  to 
protect,  favor,  and  cherish  all  God's  creatures;  as 
the  alternation  of  night  with  day,  to  give  them 
needed  rest;  the  succession  of  the  seasons,  to 
bring  supplies  in  the  grasses,  leaves,  berries, 
grains,  and  fruits;  and  the  maintenance  of  earth 
in  its  orbit  by  the  attraction  of  far-off  worlds. 


FUTURE  NOT  RESTRICTED  TO  HEAVEN.        107 

Through  all  these  things  are  materialized  and 
manifested  love  and  tenderness  toward  sentient 
creatures.  There  is  everywhere — an  Infinite 
Heart.  Throughout  nature,  we  see  the  presence, 
power  and  play  of  Infinite  Mind,  Infinite  Will,  and 
Infinite  Heart.  So  there  must  be  an  Infinite  Per- 
son. 

But  any  assertion  that  we  have  measured,  even 
approximately,  the  extent  of  his  achievements  and 
resources  in  creation,  would  be  like  that  of  a  coral 
insect  which,  from  its  cell  in  some  corner  of  a 
South  Sea  reef,  should  philosophize  and  say, 
"There  are  coral  insects,  mosses,  and  small  fish. 
No  other  material  things  worth  studying.  I  un- 
derstand it  all.     Praise  the  Lord.     Amen." 

On  the  contrary,  of  God's  works,  whether  in 
matter  or  in  mind,  how  little  we  know!  Instead 
of  fathoming  the  great  mysteries  of  the  universe, 
we  have  been  but  discovering  more  and  more  their 
overwhelming  intricacies  and  complications. 

A  professor  of  philosophy  at  Berlin  shall  state 
the  case.  And  he  is  a  believer  in  Christianity. 
Says  Paulsen,*  "Forsooth,  we  must  confess  that, 
remarkable  though  the  progress  of  science  has 
been  during  the  last  few  centuries,  it  has  utterly 
failed  to  solve  the  great  riddle  of  existence.  In- 
deed, the  mystery  seems  to  have  deepened  and  to 
have  grown  more  wonderful.  The  more  we  study 
the    universe,    the   more   immeasurable   seem   its 


•  "Ethics,"  page  431. 


108         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

depths,  the  more  inexhaustible  the  variety  and 
wealth  of  its  forms.  How  simple  and  intelligible 
was  the  world  of  Aristotle  and  St.  Thomas;  into 
what  inconceivable  abysses  astronomy  and  physics 
have  since  led  us !  The  billions  of  miles,  years  and 
vibrations,  with  which  these  sciences  reckon,  carry 
imagination  to  the  dizzy  edge  of  infinity.  With 
what  profound  secrets  of  organization,  develop- 
ment, and  existence  biology  sees  herself  con- 
fronted, now  that  she  has  learned  to  manipulate 
the  microscope  *  *  !  So  far  is  science  from  hav- 
ing transformed  the  world  into  a  simple  problem 
of  arithmetic!  Science  does  not  carry  the  think- 
ing man  to  the  end  of  things,  she  merely  gives  him 
an  inkling  of  the  illimitableness  of  the  universe. 
She  arouses  in  those  who  serve  her  with  a  pure 
heart,  not  pride,  but  feelings  of  deep  humility  and 
insignificance.  These  are  the  feelings  which  in- 
spired Kant  and  Newton." 

On  some  of  the  planets  nearest  to  the  earth, 
astronomy  indicates  that  the  conditions  as  to  air 
and  water  are  quite  different  from  those  on  the 
globe.  Of  the  great  planets  beyond  those  on  our 
system.  Professor  Simon  Newcomb  says,  "We 
cannot  decide  whether  they  are  fitted  to  be  the 
abode  of  intelligent  beings.  That  these  great 
planets  are  all  uninhabited,  no  one  would  venture 
to  assert.  But  the  astronomer  has  to  confess  that 
he  can  learn  nothing  on  the  subject,  and  that  any 


FUTURE  NOT  RESTRICTED  TO  HEAVEN.        109 

one  can  form  a  conclusion  as  well  as  he  can."  (a). 

Laplace  reasoned  with  somewhat  greater  confi- 
dence. He  said,  (b)  "As  the  sun,  through  the 
beneficent  effect  of  its  heat  and  light,  causes  the 
earth  to  be  covered  with  animals  and  plants,  we 
judge  by  analogy  that  similar  effects  are  produced 
on  other  planets;  for  it  would  not  be  natural  to 
think  that  matter,  whose  energy  we  see  developed 
in  so  many  ways,  should  be  sterile  upon  other 
spheres.  Jupiter,  like  the  terrestrial  globe,  has  its 
days,  its  nights,  and  its  years,  and  observes  finer 
alterations,  which  presage  very  active  changes.  It 
would,  however,  be  giving  too  great  an  extension 
to  analogy,  to  conclude  therefrom,  a  similarity  be- 
tween the  inhabitants  of  the  planets  and  those  of 
the  earth.  Man,  who  is  affected  by  the  tempera- 
ture in  which  he  lives,  or  the  air  he  breathes,  would 
be  unable,  from  all  indications,  to  live  upon  any 
of  the  other  planets.  But  must  there  not  be  an 
infinity  of  organizations  in  relation  to  the  different 
constituents  of  the  globes  of  the  universe?  If  a 
mere  difference  in  the  elements  and  in  the  climates 
causes  so  great  a  variety  in  the  terrestrial  produc- 
tions, how  much  more  must  those  of  the  other 
planets  and  their  satellites  differ?  The  most  vivid 
imagination  is  unable  to  form  an  idea  of  them,  but 
their  existence  is  most  probable." 

All  God's  works  are  inspired  commentaries  on 
His  inspired  Word.     How  much   more  may  be 

(a)  Article  published  in  "Youth's  Companion,"  December  11,  1902. 

(b)  "Eseaj    gur    les    Probabilities," 


110         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

found  in  the  universe  to  illustrate  His  character, 
especially  His  love  and  affection,  as  these  traits 
are  outlined  in  His  Book?  Through  those  far-off 
worlds  there  may  be,  and  doubtless  are,  multitudes 
of  varied  exhibitions  of  the  mercy  and  tenderness 
of  the  Deity.  From  what  we  already  know  of 
His  character,  we  feel  that  these  things  must  be 
there.  Creation  must  overflow  therewith.  And, 
though  incredible  labor  has  been  necessary  to  ac- 
quire what  we  already  know  about  His  works, 
still  such  labor  must  go  on. 

There  are  upon  this  globe  so  many  things  of 
utmost  interest !  Upon  what  ground  assume  that 
everything  else  in  the  boundless  universe  must  be 
devoid  of  interest?  It  is  utterly  illogical  to  affirm 
those  distant  orbs  would  not  be  richly  instructive 
to  us.  We  should  hold  just  the  opposite  view. 
The  single  world  we  know — our  own,  is  interest- 
ing to  the  last  degree.  In  the  absence  of  strongest 
proofs  to  the  contrary,  we  are  bound  to  believe  the 
other  worlds  in  space  may  be,  each  in  its  way,  as 
wonderful  as  ours. 

What  would  you  think  of  a  person  who  should 
be  delighted  beyond  measure  with  one  picture  by 
Raphael — the  only  one  he  had  ever  seen;  but 
should  assume  that  all  of  Raphael's  other  paint- 
ings, which  he  had  not  seen,  must  be  productions 
utterly  unworthy?  Like  him  would  be  the  man 
who  should  recognize  the  ever-developing  beau- 
ties and  glories  of  this  earth;  but  insist  that  all 


FUTURE  NOT  RESTRICTED  TO  HEAVEN.         Ill 

Other  worlds  throughout  God's  boundless  realms 
cannot  be  worth  study. 

We  know  our  globe  is  wonderful  in  the  highest 
measure.  By  analogy,  we  are  constrained  to  hold 
the  other  spheres  that  fly  through  space  are  alike 
marvellous  in  their  revelations  of  their  Maker. 
Even  if  some  have  no  atmosphere  at  all,  and 
others,  atmospheres  and  climates  entirely  different 
from  our  own,  they  may  still  be  as  wonderful  as 
ours,  or  more  so.  If  there  are  such  disclosures  of 
God  here,  doubtless  there  may  be  equal  or  greater 
ones  elsewhere.  Were  those  orbs  made  by  God; 
and  do  they  not  exhibit  amazing  calculation,  crea- 
tive skill,  divine  genius,  and  infinite  resources? 
Analogy  indicates  they  do.  Science  indicates  they 
do.  So  does  Scripture.  "The  heavens  declare 
the  glory  of  God;  and  the  firmament  showeth  his 
handiwork." 

Through  the  long  centuries  men  have  been  con- 
tinually discovering  new  facts  and  principles  about 
this  globe;  about  heat,  light,  gravitation,  electric- 
ity, magnetism,  and  other  things  pertaining  to  it. 
But  earth  is  comparatively  so  small  and  unim- 
portant, its  annihilation  would  import  to  the  uni- 
verse no  more  than  the  destruction  of  a  dry  leaf 
would  signify  to  earth  itself.  Hence  any  theory 
that,  upon  this  little  planet,  God  has  made  a  pe- 
culiar and  concentrated  display  of  His  powers  in 
creation  and  government,  which  is  not  paralleled 
and  exhibited  elsewhere  in  the  cosmos,  is  illogical. 


112         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

We  argue  that,  since  this  earth,  comparatively 
so  unimportant  among  the  celestial  bodies,  is  so 
wonderful,  probably  other  bodies  are  still  greater 
in  their  revelations.  But  these  must  display  those 
same  traits  of  the  divine  character  that  are  seen  on 
earth;  and  presumably  in  countless  other  manifes- 
tations. For,  far  as  we  are  able  to  compare  them 
with  the  earth  at  all,  in  the  things  regarding  which 
we  can  obtain  knowledge  of  them,  many  of  those 
great  orbs  far  surpass  the  globe  in  interest. 

We  think  it  was  Napier  who,  to  show  how  much 
the  sun  exceeds  our  globe  in  size,  developed  the 
following  illustration.  Earth  has  a  diameter  of  a 
little  less  than  8,000  miles.  Of  course  its  radius  is 
about  4,000  miles.  The  moon  is  a  little  less  than 
239,000  miles  away.  The  sun's  diameter  is  about 
866,500  miles,  about  1093^  times  as  great  as 
earth's.  The  sun's  radius  is  433,250  miles.  Now 
suppose  our  globe  to  be  set  in  the  very  centre  of 
the  sun.  Suppose  the  moon  to  be  still  revolving 
around  it,  at  the  same  distance  from  it  as  at  pres- 
ent— about  239,000  miles.  Then,  when  a  person 
starting  from  our  planet  has  reached  the  moon, 
he  has  traversed  but  a  little  over  one-half  the 
distance  to  the  surface  of  the  sun.  The  distance 
from  the  earth  to  the  moon  (239,000  miles)  is 
only  a  little  over  one-quarter  of  the  diameter  of 
the  sun  (216,625  miles). 

Jupiter  is  304  times  larger  than  the  earth.  "But 
as  Sirius  exceeds  the  sun  in  mass  a  score  of  times, 


FUTURE  NOT  RESTRICTED  TO  HEAVEN.        113 

it  may  well  have  planets  revolving  about  it  which 
surpass  Jupiter  ten-fold  in  size  and  splendor. 
What  mighty  continents,  what  boundless  seas, 
what  majestic  rivers,  what  lofty  mountains — what 
sublimity  of  scenery  beyond  imagination's  power 
to  picture,  might  we  not  look  for  upon  such 
worlds  !"* 

When  Herschel,  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope, 
turned  his  telescope  toward  the  sky,  he  saw  the 
fixed  stars  in  uncounted  multitudes  shine  like  glit- 
tering dust  against  the  black  background  of  the 
universe.  But  the  Danish  astronomer,  Tycho 
Brahe,  believed  that,  among  those  fixed  stars  so 
distant,  were  some  so  large  their  circumference 
would  equal  the  very  orbit  of  earth  around  the 
sun.  Upon  this  little  earth,  science  is  forever 
making  discoveries  that  astonish  us.  Why  then 
think  that,  on  those  far-oJff  spheres,  which  sweep 
stupendous  along  the  pathways  of  the  ether  sea, 
there  are  not  equally  great  and  striking  wonders? 
If  this  world  can  teach  us  so  much  about  God,  we 
must  logically  hold  that  the  millions  of  other  and 
greater  worlds  can  teach  us  more. 

3.  We  desire  to  study  all  of  God's  creations, 
that  we  may  have  better  understanding  of  the 
Deity  Himself. 

For,  without  knowledge  of  His  works  in  the 
material  creation,  it  is  simply  impossible  to  real- 

(a)  ^ur  Celestial  Home."  P.  56.  Jeremiah  G  .Porter,  A.  M.i 
Director  of   Cincinnati  Observatory. 


114         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

ize  much  about  the  greatness  of  His  attributes  and 
activities;  e.  g.,  His  unspeakable  skill  and  power 
in  adapting  means  to  ends;  in  making  tender  and 
manifold  provision  for  His  creatures.  His  work 
in  creating,  upholding,  and  governing  the  infinite 
macrocosm  of  nature,  is  one  grand  display  of  His 
own  ineffable  perfections. 

"Sit  Jessica,  look  how  the  floor  of  heaven 
Is  thick  inlaid  with  patines  of  bright  gold. 

There  is  not  an  orb  which  thou  beholdest, 
But  in  its  motion  like  an  angel  sings. 

Still  choiring  to  the  young-eyed  cherubim." 

But  of  what  does  it  sing?  It  sings  of  God. 
Does  a  musician  tire  of  music?  After  hearing  two 
or  three  pieces,  is  his  sensitive  soul  forever  satis- 
fied with  melody,  so  that  he  never  desires  to  hear 
more?  And  does  a  devout  theologian  ever  hear 
suf^ciently  that  music  of  the  spheres,  which  sings 
of  the  Creator  and  His  attributes?  There  doubt- 
less are  connected  with  those  worlds  revelations, 
not  only  of  the  wisdom  and  power  of  God;  but  also 
of  things  proving  His  love,  mercy,  and  compas- 
sion, that  will  delight,  astonish  and  overwhelm  us. 

In  the  physical  universe,  God  generally  leaves 
us  to  explore  and  discover  for  ourselves.  Genesis 
did  not  tell  us  the  creative  days  were  aeons.  We 
had  to  find  that  out.  The  Bible  never  taught  us 
about  heat,  light,  gravitation,  and  electricity.   We 


FUTURE  NOT  RESTRICTED  TO  HEAVEN,        115 

had  to  search  them  out.  God  disclosed  to  us  by- 
revelation  many  of  those  things  which  we  never, 
by  any  possibility,  could  have  discovered.  But 
there  is  little  reason  to  suppose  that  full  knowl- 
edge of  sciences,  philosophy,  and  natural  religion 
will  ever  be  disclosed  to  us  by  revelation.  God's 
character,  as  indicated  in  nature,  will  never  be 
wholly  interpreted  to  us  by  direct  apocalypse.  For 
understanding  of  it,  we  must  seek,  and  study; 
though  of  course  under  the  guidance  of  His  Spirit. 
And  perchance  at  times  receiving  revelations  from 
that  Spirit. 

But  there  must  come  a  day  when  we  shall  have 
learned  nearly  all  there  is  to  be  learned  about  this 
globe,  or  any  one  standpoint  in  the  universe.  And, 
after  that,  eternal  tantalization  ?  Eternity — with- 
out any  possibility  of  a  fresh  idea  in  science,  phi- 
losophy, or  revelations  about  the  Creator?  Is  a 
gifted  intellect  to  be  best  developed  by  being  per- 
mitted to  read  only  a  primer,  while  there  is  for- 
ever withheld  from  him  the  literature  of  the  uni- 
verse? All  through  the  cosmos  are  displays  of 
God's  attributes  in  their  various  activities.  Is  it 
for  our  best  interest  to  be  forevermore  excluded 
from  all  understanding  of  them  ? 

On  the  contrary,  does  not  every  instinct  of  the 
rational  nature  constrain  us  to  believe  it  will  be 
for  our  highest  advantage  to  explore,  investigate, 
and  comprehend,  as  far  as  finite  minds  can  do  it, 
the  illimitable  kingdoms  of  the  Deity?    Has  it  not 


116         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

been  in  the  highest  measure  profitable  to  us,  that, 
in  this  Httle  world,  we  have  forever  been  making 
new  and  wonderful  discoveries?  Why  then  think 
that  we  will  not  further  profit  by  equally  great  and 
striking  ones  on  those  far-distant  spheres?  Nay, 
in  all  probability,  those  worlds  will  teach  us  in- 
comparably more.  If  we  have  been  so  aided  by 
exploration  of  this  planet,  which  is  but  God's  foot- 
stool, why  assume  that  we  shall  not  be  helped  and 
inspired  far  more  by  knowing  that  empyrean  full 
of  orbs,  which  constitutes  His  throne  and  His  em- 
pire? Are  they  not  studies  by  the  divine  artist? 
Laboratories  of  the  first  chemist  of  the  cosmos? 
Cyclopean  work-shops  of  the  great  master  me- 
chanic; the  universal  and  infinite  genius — God? 
And  is  not  He  Our  Father? 

For  light  upon  this  subject,  there  is  at  present 
but  one  authority  to  which  we  can  have  recourse. 
And  that  is  the  Holy  Oracles. 

If  the  Bible  declared  there  never  can  be  any 
such  privileges  of  cosmic  exploration,  we  of  course 
could  but  accept  that  teaching,  and  rest  therein. 
If  the  Scripture  plainly  indicated  it  as  God's  pur- 
pose that,  in  the  other  world,  men  are  to  be  for- 
ever confined  to  some  one  locality,  whether  this 
earth,  or  any  other  sphere,  with  no  power,  possi- 
bility, or  hope  of  ever  going  beyond  its  bounds; 
that  teaching  would  obviously  be  final.  And  there 
would  be  only  one  position  for  us  to  take — the  at- 
titude of  humble,  cheerful  acquiescence.     But  the 


Future  not  restricted  to  heaven,      iit 

Bible  has  never  so  declared.  It  has  taught  noth- 
ing of  the  kind.  There  has  been  not  a  single  ut- 
terance to  this  effect. 

And,  since  that  future  destiny  is  a  thing  upon 
which  we  have  staked  our  all,  and  is  the  subject 
of  our  most  sacred  hopes,  and  most  inspired 
imaginations;  it  is  reasonable  to  search  the  Scrip- 
tures to  see  what  gleams  may  come  from  them  of 
light  upon  these  matters. 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE  FUTURE  LIFE  IMPLIES  BOTH  A  STATE  OF 
BLESSEDNESS,  AND  THE  AMPLEST  PHYSICAL 
RANGE  FOR  THE  BLESSED.  ANGELIC  BEINGS 
HAVE  THE  POWER  OF  CELESTIAL  FLIGHT. 

According  to  the  Bible,  Heaven  implies  two 
things : 

I.   A  State  of  Blessedness. 

H.  A  Place  wherein  God  Specially  Reveals 
Himself — the  Local  Paradise. 

I.    THE  STATE  OF  BLESSEDNESS. 

This  state,  as  we  believe,  is  to  be  enjoyed 
wherever  we  are,  in  that  coming  world.  And  the 
most  wonderful  thing  about  the  future  will  be  its 
spiritual  blessings.  For  these  are  higher  than  any 
merely  material  blessedness  can  be.  We  do  not 
attempt  to  discuss  or  enumerate  them  all.  But, 
among  them,  will  be  the  emancipation  and  de- 
velopment of  intellect,  feelings,  and  will.  We  be- 
lieve these  are  to  be,  as  nearly  as  possible,  Hke 
the  intellect,  feelings,  and  will,  of  the  glorified 
man  Jesus,  i.  e.,  the  human  soul  of  Christ. 

118 


CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.  119 

But  ignorance  is  no  aid  to  piety.  Its  influence 
is  not  benignant  on  the  promotion  of  spiritual  life. 
The  man  who  has  read  but  a  few  verses  of  the 
Bible,  cannot  understand,  obey,  love  and  enjoy,  so 
well  as  he  who  has  studied  the  entire  book.  The 
latter  is  prepared  for  higher  service,  and  higher 
enjoyment.  But  knowledge  of  material  things 
also  facilitates  spiritual  growth.  Gives  deeper, 
broader,  truer  ideas  of  God's  wisdom,  power,  prov- 
idence, and  everything  pertaining  to  the  divine 
character.  A  person  of  limited  intelligence  can 
have  but  a  limited  knowledge  of  God.  And  he 
cannot  reach  the  highest  degree  of  spirituality.  A 
profound  acquaintance  with  God's  works  will  assist 
a  man  to  attain  the  higher  grades  of  holiness.  He 
can  better  appreciate  the  divine  ways  and  the  prin- 
ciples upon  which  God  operates  and  governs. 

Other  things  being  equal,  the  mind  which  has 
studied  only  a  blade  of  grass,  cannot  understand, 
honour,  and  enjoy  God,  as  can  one  who  knows  all 
that  can  be  known  about  flower,  fruit  and  forest; 
about  insect,  bird,  and  beast;  the  whole  vegetable 
kingdom  and  the  whole  animal  kingdom;  also 
about  that  part  of  God's  great  empire,  which  is 
called  inorganic  nature. 

So  a  spirit  who  knows  only  what  God  has  re- 
vealed in  one  corner  of  His  universe,  can,  by  no 
possibility,  stand  so  high  in  spirituality,  and  be  so 
well  prepared  to  glorify  God,  as  he  who  under- 
stands more  fully  what  is  taught  by  the  universe  at 


120         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

large.  Therefore,  without  attempting  to  discuss 
everything  about  this  future  state  of  blessedness, 
we  specify  the  purpose  of  our  present  investigation 
by  stating  this  fact,  that,  other  things  being  equal, 
spirituality  is  conditioned  upon  knoivledge ;  must  in- 
crease with  knoivledge;  and  he  promoted  by  it. 

And  here  perchance  objection  may  be  made 
that,  as  to  obtaining  knowledge  of  God's  great 
empire,  there  is  nothing  in  the  human  constitu- 
tion which  even  suggests  the  possibility  of  such 
journeyings  as  would  be  requisite,  in  order  to 
reach  those  remoter  portions  of  His  universe. 
Even  were  the  privilege  apparently  within  our 
reach,  we  have  no  power  to  use  it.  The  answer 
to  this  will  naturally  follow  the  subject  which  we 
next  take  up;  namely, 

II.       THE   LOCAL  PARADISE. 

There  is  a  place  which  we  call  Heaven.  About 
this,  some  points  have  been  already  studied.  We 
beHeve  it  is  beyond  description.  It  is  entirely 
erroneous  to  suppose  that  our  views  would,  in  the 
least,  minimize  or  disparage  the  popular  concep- 
tion. They  move  on  exactly  the  opposite  line. 
They  enhance  the  accepted  doctrine. 

The  familiar  view  of  evangelical  believers  limits 
the  sphere  of  the  future  life  largely  to  a  city.  But 
the  Bible,  in  its  profoundest  meaning,  does  not 
teach  that  the  scene  of  that  life  is  confined  to  a 
city,  or  limited  to  any  one  place  or  world. 


CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.  121 

A  city  we  hold  there  unquestionably  is.  And 
some  believe  the  site  of  that  city  will  be  the  earth 
purified.  But  consider.  All  who  die  during  in- 
fancy are  saved.  And  over  one-half  the  race  die 
in  infancy.  It  is  estimated  that  on  the  globe  there 
are  at  present  at  least  1,500,000,000  souls.  But, 
of  this  generation,  more  died  during  infancy  than 
are  now  living.  Therefore,  more  than  1,500,000,- 
000  died  in  infancy  and  were  saved.  There  are  on 
earth  about  400,000,000  nominal  Christians.  And 
suppose  that,  of  these,  250,000,000  are  redeemed. 
There  will  be  saved,  of  this  generation  alone,  one 
and  three-quarter  billions  of  souls  (1,750,000,000). 
But,  of  the  last  generation,  there  were  almost  as 
many  ransomed  as  will  be  saved  from  this.  From 
the  next  generation,  probably  there  will  be  more 
saved  than  from  this.  So,  from  these  three  gene- 
rations, there  will  be  about  five  and  one-quarter 
bilhons  of  souls  redeemed  (5,250,000,000).  Here, 
from  only  three  generations,  are  three  and  one- 
half  times  the  present  population  of  the  globe. 
Now  add  the  billions  of  the  redeemed  from  all  the 
ages  that  have  past;  and  the  billions  from  those 
yet  to  come.  And  we  see  how  unsatisfactory  and 
untenable  is  the  idea  that  all  these  billions  are  to 
dwell  forever  here  on  the  earth  as  their  perpetual 
abiding  place.  And  even  the  above  computation 
does  not  take  into  account  the  hosts  of  angels,  "an 
innumerable  company"  (Hebrews  12;  22),  sons  of 
God,  who  were  in  existence  before  man  was  made, 


122         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

and  must  congregate  in  Heaven  as  God's  Capital. 
All  evangelical  theology  concedes  that  the  glori- 
fied shall  enjoy  an  eternity  of  happiness  and  a  local 
Heaven. 

in.  BUT  THE  BIBLE  TEACHES  THAT  THE  SAINTS 
SHALL  ALSO   ENJOY  THE  INFINITY  OF  SPACE. 

The  Jews  on  earth  possessed  Jerusalem.  But 
with  this  went  also  the  land  of  Canaan.  And,  even 
in  Scripture,  Jerusalem  sometimes  signified,  not 
only  the  city,  but  the  country  in  which  that  city 
was  the  Capital;  the  entire  Jewish  state  and  power. 
For  instance  (Ps.  102;  21),  "to  declare  the  name 
of  the  Lord  in  Sion,  and  his  praise  in  Jerusalem," 
i.  e.,  in  the  Holy  Land.  (Is.  24;  23),  "The  Lord 
of  hosts  shall  reign  in  Mount  Zion,  and  in  Jeru- 
salem, and  before  his  ancients  gloriously,"  i.  e., 
throughout  the  land.  (Zech.  14;  10),  "I  will  pour 
upon  the  house  of  David,  and  upon  the  inhabitants 
of  Jerusalem,  the  spirit  of  grace  and  of  supplica- 
tion," i.  e.,  upon  the  whole  nation.  (Zech.  13;  i). 
"In  that  day  there  shall  be  a  fountain  opened  to 
the  house  of  David,  and  to  the  inhabitants  of  Jeru- 
salem," etc.,  i.  e.,  to  the  entire  people. 

So,  the  New  Jerusalem,  in  Scripture,  means  not 
only  the  heavenly  city,  but  the  boundless  regions 
which  sweep  away  beyond  it  in  every  direction.  It 
stands  for  these — the  entire  universe.  Hence, 
while  the   scene  of  the  future  life  is  sometimes 


CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.  123 

spoken  of  merely  as  a  city,  it  is  also  designated  by 
words  which  very  properly  suggest  much  more  ex- 
tended areas.  It  is  called  ''the  country,"  and  "the 
kingdom." 

"For  they  that  say  such  things  declare  plainly 
that  they  seek  a  country,  *  *  but  now  they  desire 
a  better  country,  that  is,  an  heavenly;  wherefore 
God  is  not  ashamed  to  be  called  their  God;  for 
he  hath  prepared  for  them  a  city."  (Heb.  ii; 
14-16).  This  "city"  is  in  that  "country."  Again. 
"Ye  are  come  unto  Mount  Zion,  and  unto  the  city 
of  the  living  God,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem;  and  to 
an  innumerable  company  of  angels,  to  the  general 
assembly  and  church  of  the  firstborn,  which  are 
written  in  heaven,  and  to  God,  the  judge  of  all, 
and  to  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect."  (Heb. 
12;  22-23).  But  the  earthly  Jerusalem  was  sit- 
uated in  the  earthly  Canaan.  It  was  the  capital 
of  the  country.  So,  by  analogy,  we  expect  the 
heavenly  Jerusalem  to  be  situated  in  a  country 
W'hich  extends  far  away  from  the  city's  gates. 
Verse  28  shows  this  to  be  the  case.  "Wherefore 
we,  receiving  a  kingdom  which  cannot  be  moved, 
let  us  have  grace,  whereby  we  may  serve  God  ac- 
ceptably with  reverence  and  godly  fear."  It  is  "a 
kingdom  which  cannot  be  moved."  Well  may  it 
be  so  called.  For  it  is  the  illimitable  kingdom  of 
God  Himself. 

The  Bible,  in  many  familiar  passages,  speaks  of 
Christ   as   coming   from    Heaven,   and   returning 


124         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

thither  again.  He  says  of  Himself,  "No  man  hath 
ascended  up  to  heaven,  but  he  that  came  down 
from  heaven,  even  the  Son  of  man,  which  is  in 
heaven."  (Jno.  3;  13).  "I  came  down  from 
heaven,  not  to  do  mine  own  will."  (John  6;  38). 
"What  and  if  ye  shall  see  the  Son  of  man  ascend 
up  where  he  was  before?"  (John  6;  62).  "The 
second  man  is  the  Lord  from  heaven."     (I.  Cor. 

15;  47)- 

Now  the  exact  location  of  Heaven  is,  in  any 
case,  comparatively  unimportant.  Because  there 
are  myriads  of  spheres,  on  any  one  of  which  it 
may  have  its  place.  But  one  thing  the  Scriptures 
make  unmistakably  plain.  Heaven  is  far  removed 
from  earth.  On  whatever  one  it  is,  among  the 
millions  of  starry  worlds,  the  local  Heaven  is  im- 
mensely distant  from  this  globe  of  ours.  The  Old 
Testament  indicates  the  great  distance  of  Heaven 
from  earth.  "The  Lord  hath  prepared  his  throne 
in  the  heavens."  (Ps.  103;  19).  But,  upon  that 
throne,  Christ  is  to  sit.  "Thine  eyes  shall  see  the 
king  in  his  beauty;  they  shall  behold  the  land  that 
is  very  far  off."  (Is.  33;  17).  Says  the  apostle, 
"He  that  descended  is  the  same  also  that  ascended 
up  far  above  all  heavens,  that  he  might  fill  all 
things."  (Eph.  4;  10).  Here  is  a  declaration  that 
Christ's  present  abode  is  far  away — "far  above  all 
heavens."  And  the  apostle  continues  in  Hebrews, 
"For  such  an  high  priest  became  us,  who  is  holy, 


CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.  125 

harmless,    undefiled,    separate   from    sinners,    and 
made  higher  than  the  heavens.'''    (Chap,  7;  26). 

In  all  references  to  Heaven,  it  is  understood 
that  the  distance  to  it  is  great.  In  the  Hght  of  the 
above  passages,  we  must  interpret  all  others. 
"And  he  shall  send  Jesus  Christ,  which  before  was 
preached  unto  you,  whom  the  heaven  must  re- 
ceive until  the  times  of  restitution  of  all  things." 
(Acts  3;  20-21).  "When  he  ascended  up  on  high, 
he  led  captivity  captive."  (Ps,  68;  i8.  Eph.  4;  8). 
"According  to  the  working  of  his  mighty  power, 
which  wrought  in  Christ,  when  he  raised  him  from 
the  dead,  and  set  him  at  his  own  right  hand  in  the 
heavenly  places."  (Eph.  i;  19-20).  "Who  has 
gone  into  heaven,  and  is  on  the  right  hand  of 
God."  (I.  Peter  3;  22).  "On  the  right  hand  of 
the  majesty  on  high."  (Heb.  i ;  3).  "Now  of  the 
things  which  we  have  spoken,  this  is  the  sum;  we 
have  such  an  high  priest,  who  is  set  on  the  right 
hand  of  the  throne  of  the  Majesty  in  the  heav- 
ens." (Heb.  8;  i).  "Seeing  then  that  we  have  a 
great  high  priest,  that  is  passed  into  the  heavens, 
Jesus,  the  Son  of  God,  let  us  hold  fast  our  profes- 
sion." (Heb.  4;  14).  "Knowing  that  your  Mas- 
ter also  is  in  heaven."  (Eph.  6;  9.  Col.  4;  i). 
"Waiting  for  his  son  from  heaven."  (I.  Thess.  i; 
10).  "The  Lord  himself  shall  descend  from 
heaven."  (I.  Thess.  4;  16).  "The  Lord  Jesus 
shall  be  revealed  from  heaven."   (II.  Thess.  i ;  7). 


126         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

The  New  Testament  Parables  bring  out  the  same 
idea. 

Of  course  in  all  these  parables  which  we  here 
quote,  the  person  who  goes  into  the  far  country 
stands  for  Christ,  who  will  ascend  to  His  throne, 
but  finally  return  to  reckon  with  his  servants  vipon 
earth.  The  country  to  which  He  goes  is  Heaven, 
whose  distance  is  unmistakably  indicated.  "The 
kingdom  of  heaven  is  as  a  man  travelling  into  a 
far  country,  who  called  his  own  servants,  and  de- 
livered unto  them  his  goods."  *  *  *  "After  a  long 
time  the  Lord  of  those  servants  cometh  and  reck- 
oneth  with  them."  (Matt.  25;  14,  19).  "He  said, 
therefore,  a  certain  nobleman  went  into  a  far  coun- 
try to  receive  for  himself  a  kingdom,  and  to  re- 
turn." (Luke  19;  12).  "A  certain  man  planted  a 
vineyard;  *  *  *  *  and  let  it  out  to  husbandmen, 
and  went  into  a  far  country."  (Mark  12;  i).  "For 
the  Son  of  man  is  as  a  man  taking  a  far  journey," 
etc.     (Mark  13;  34). 

The  Neiv  Testament  Visions  indicate  that 
Heaven  is  far  distant  from  earth. 

When  Paul  had  his  revelations  of  this  heavenly 
life,  and  "things  which  it  is  not  lawful  to  utter," 
he  describes  himself  as  "caught  up  to  the  third 
heaven."  (H.  Cor.  12;  2).  And  the  meaning  of 
this  language  is  unmistakable.     For  the  Hebrews 


CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.  127 

recognize  three  heavens,  (i)  The  atmosphere,  in 
which  birds  fly,  winds  blow,  and  showers  form.  (2) 
The  firmament,  wherein  the  stars  appear.  But 
"the  third  heaven"  was  "the  highest  heaven."  This 
they  deemed  a  sacred  mansion  of  light  and  glory, 
where  dwelt  the  angels,  and  saints,  and  Christ. 
Paul,  therefore,  represents  Heaven  as  far  away. 

In  the  light  of  this,  we  must  interpret  the  other 
visions  of  Heaven.  For  instance,  "Stephen  looked 
up  steadfastly  into  heaven;  and  saw  Jesus  stand- 
ing on  the  right  hand  of  God."  (Acts  7;  55). 
John  says,  "A  throne  was  set  in  heaven,  and  one 
sat  on  the  throne."  (Rev.  4;  2).  And  he  repre- 
sents the  New  Jerusalem  as  coming  down  from 
God  out  of  heaven.     (Rev.  21;  10). 

The  poetical  description  of  the  locality  of  that 
celestial  city,  fascinates  the  ears  of  childhood.  And 
to  the  sober  study  of  manhood,  it  is  still  com- 
mended as  correct. 

"There's  a  land  far  away,  mid  the  stars,  we  are 
told; 

Where  they  know  not  the  sorrows  of  time. 
Where  the  way-weary  traveller  reaches  his  goal, 

And  life  is  a  treasure  sublime." 

Dr.  Thomas  Dick  dreamed  that  the  throne  of 
Christ  was  the  centre  around  which  the  universe 
revolved.  Surely  it  is  the  dynamic  centre  of  the 
cosmos — the  centre  of  control.     Quite  likely  we 


128         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

by  and  by  shall  find  that  mighty  orb,  though  im- 
measurably remote  among  the  stars,  was  never- 
theless within  full  sight  of  earth.  The  astrono- 
mers searched  it  with  their  telescopes,  but  they 
knew  it  not.  Yet  there  it  was  upon  the  fields  of 
night,  a  fixed  and  majestic  world,  radiantly  shin- 
ing right  before  our  eyes  through  all  our  earthly 
pilgrimage;  sweeping  in  full  view  of  the  Church  of 
God,  through  all  the  ages  of  their  history.  And 
those  who  have  reached  it,  know  full  well  that 
this  earth  is  our  temporary  home;  and  point  out 
to  one  another  this  little  orb  whereon  we  for  a 
season  dwell. 

Now  we  will  answer  the  objection  that  it  would 
be  impossible  to  reach  those  far-off  realms.  For 
the  Bible  teaches  that  we  shall  have  powers  ade- 
quate to  such  celestial  journeyings.  All  finite 
heavenly  creatures  are  possessed  of  these  endow-' 
ments. 

ANGELIC  BEINGS  HAVE  THIS  POWER  OF  CELES- 
TIAL  FLIGHT. 

They  are  represented  as  using  means  of  loco- 
motion which  at  present  we  do  not  possess.  All 
through  the  Bible,  they  appear  as  coming  from 
Heaven  to  earth,  and  returning  to  Heaven  again. 
This  truth,  that  there  are  superior  beings,  who 
have  superhuman  power  of  traversing  space,  is 
one  of  the  first  things  taught  in  Scripture.    Abra- 


CELESTIAL  PLIGHT.  129 

ham  stretched  forth  his  hand,  and  took  the  knife 
to  slay  his  son.  "And  the  angel  of  the  Lord  called 
unto  him  out  of  heaven,  and  said,  Abraham,  Abra- 
ham; and  he  said.  Here  am  I."  (Gen.  22;  11). 
Then  (v.  15)  we  read,  "And  the  angel  of  the  Lord 
called  unto  Abraham  out  of  heaven  the  second 
time."  Here  was  a  person  above  the  earth,  with 
power  of  moving  through  the  air.  When  the 
angel  had  come  to  announce  that  Manoah  should 
have  a  son  named  Samson,  and  Manoah  had  sac-* 
rificed  a  kid  unto  the  Lord,  the  angel  "did  won- 
derously;  *  *  *  For  it  came  to  pass,  when  the 
flame  went  up  toward  heaven  from  ofif  the  altar, 
that  the  angel  of  the  Lord  ascended  in  the  flame 
of  the  altar."  (Judges  13;  20).  He  had  a  power 
of  motion  through  space  above  any  such  ability 
possessed  by  man.  Again.  "God  sent  an  angel 
unto  Jerusalem  to  destroy  it;  *  *  and  David  lifted 
up  his  eyes,  and  saw  the  angel  of  the  Lord  stand 
between  the  earth  and  the  heaven,  having  a  drawn 
sword  in  his  hand  stretched  out  over  Jerusalem." 
(I,  Chron.  21;  16).  Here  was  indicated  a  super- 
human power  of  resting  in  space,  such  as  might 
be  expected  to  accompany  the  power  of  moving 
through  it. 

After  Elijah  had  gone  up  in  his  chariot  of  flame^ 
when  Elisha  was  in  Dothan,  and  the  Syrian  horse- 
men and  chariots  came  by  night,  and  encompassed 
the  city  about;  Elisha's  servant  saw  the  beleaguer- 
ing hosts  and  was  afraid.     "And  Elisha  *  *  said, 


130        THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

Lord,  I  pray  thee,  open  his  eyes,  that  he  may  see. 
And  the  Lord  opened  the  eyes  of  the  young  man; 
and  he  saw:  and,  behold,  the  mountam  was  full  of 
horses  and  chariots  of  fire  round  about  Elisha." 
(IL  Kings  6;  17).  Here  the  same  idea  of  super- 
human powers  appears  in  a  more  striking  form. 
Here  was  a  vision  as  of  many  horses  and  chariots 
of  fire,  like  the  celestial  equipage  which  had  taken 
Elijah  to  the  skies. 

There  seems  to  be  an  allusion  to  this  passage 
in  Psalm  68;  17,  "The  chariots  of  God  are  twenty 
thousand,  even  thousands  of  angels :  the  Lord  is 
among  them,  as  in  Sinai,  in  the  holy  place."  This 
verse  is  understood  by  many  as  an  allusion  which 
explains  the  chariots  of  fire  which  the  young  man 
saw. 

When  David,  about  1047  B.  C,  asked  God 
whether  he  should  go  against  the  Philistines,  God 
answered,  "Turn  away  from  them,  and  come  upon 
them  over  against  the  mulberry  trees.  And  it 
shall  be,  when  thou  shalt  hear  a  sound  of  going 
in  the  tops  of  the  mulberry  trees,  that  then  thou 
shalt  go  out  to  battle,  for  God  is  gone  forth  before 
thee  to  smite  the  host  of  the  Philistines."  Re- 
vised Version  reads,  "When  thou  hearest  the 
sound  of  marching  in  the  tops  of  the  mulberry 
trees."  (I.  Chron.  14;  14-15).  The  sound  of  going 
or  marching  is  understood  to  refer  to  the  move- 
ment of  the  armies  of  God.  Here  seem  to  be 
Scriptural  representations  of  multitudes  of  beings, 


CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.  131 

who  have  power  of  motion  through  the  air,  and 
through  space;  powers  of  locomotion  far  superior 
to  those  of  men. 

There  is  a  popular  conception  which  represents 
angels  as  having  wings.  Lotze  says  in  the  Micro- 
cosmus,  there  is  no  reason  to  believe  in  the  exist- 
ence of  any  celestial  intelligences  having  wings. 
But  the  popular  notion  is  entirely  in  accordance 
with  many  passages  of  Scripture.  Though  the 
Bible  does  not  indicate  that  any  human  beings,  in 
their  future  state,  will  have  wings,  it  certainly 
does  often  represent  the  angels  as  winged; 
whether  the  wings  be  literal  or  symbolical,  the 
latter  being  unquestionably  the  case.  For  in- 
stance, in  God's  command  to  Moses  about  the 
construction  of  the  ark  of  the  covenant,  with  the 
mercy  seat.     (Ex.  25;  18-22). 

18.  "And  thou  shalt  make  two  cherubims  of  gold, 
of  beaten  work  shalt  thou  make  them,  in  the  two 
ends  of  the  mercy  seat. 

19.  And  make  one  cherub  on  the  one  end,  and 
the  other  cherub  on  the  other  end :  even  of  the 
mercy  seat  shall  ye  make  the  cherubims  on  the 
two  ends  thereof. 

20.  And  the  cherubims  shall  stretch  forth  their 
wings  on  high,  covering  the  mercy  seat  with  their 
wings,  and  their  faces  shall  look  one  to  another; 
toward  the  mercy  seat  shall  the  faces  of  the  cheru- 
bims be. 

21.  And  thou  shalt  put  the  mercy  seat  above 


132         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

upon  the  ark;  and  in  the  ark  thou  shalt  put  the 
testimony  that  I  shall  give  thee. 

22.  And  there  I  will  meet  with  thee,  and  I  will 
commune  with  thee  from  above  the  mercy  seat, 
from  between  the  two  cherubims  which  are  upon 
the  ark  of  the  testimony,  of  all  things  which  I  will 
g^ve  thee  in  commandment  unto  the  children  of 
Israel." 

About  the  cherubim,  "It  is  remarkable  that, 
with  such  precise  directions  as  to  their  position, 
attitude,  and  material,  nothing  save  that  they 
were  winged,  is  said  concerning  their  shape." 
(Smith's  Bible  Dictionary.     Article  "Cherub.") 

These  instructions  were  fulfilled  by  Moses.  (Ex- 
odus 37;  6-9). 

6.  "And  he  made  a  mercy  seat  of  pure  gold; 
two  cubits  and  a  half  was  the  length  thereof,  and 
one  cubit  and  a  half  the  breadth  thereof. 

7.  And  he  made  two  cherubims  of  gold,  beaten 
out  of  one  piece  made  he  them,  on  the  two  ends 
of  the  mercy  seat. 

8.  One  cherub  on  the  end  on  this  side,  and  an- 
other cherub  on  the  other  end  on  that  side :  out  of 
the  mercy  seat  made  he  the  cherubims  on  the  two 
ends  thereof. 

9.  And  the  cherubims  spread  out  their  wings 
on  high,  and  covered  with  their  wings  over  the 
mercy  seat,  with  their  faces  one  to  another;  even 
to  the  mercy  seatward  were  the  faces  of  the  cheru- 
bims." 


CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.  13S 

Thus  the  cherubims  were  represented  as 
shadowing  the  mercy  seat  with  their  wings. 

This  was  about  1491  before  Christ. 

As  Israel,  with  toilsome  tread,  proceeded  on 
their  desert  march,  there  before  them,  in  the  tab- 
ernacle, over  the  mercy  seat,  were  the  cherubim 
shadowing  with  wings.  These  continually  reminded 
the  Hebrews  that  there  were  other  beings  of  a 
loftier  order  than  themselves,  who  needed  not  to 
walk  with  weary  feet;  but  had  far  higher  powers 
of  locomotion.  For,  with  tireless  flight,  they 
could  move  swiftly  through  the  skies. 

It  was  from  this  mercy  seat,  and  from  between 
these  cherubim,  that  God,  according  to  His  prom- 
ise, was  to  meet  Moses,  and  commune  with  him. 
(Num.  7;  89).  This  was  the  one  spot,  whence  for 
forty  years,  as  it  is  understood,  God  specially 
talked  with  Moses.  It  was  there  in  the  presence 
of  the  cherubim.  And  this  was  to  teach  the  He- 
brews forever  that  there  were  beings  with  endow- 
ments above  their  own,  who  were  not  limited  to 
earth,  but  could  fly  'twixt  earth  and  the  distant 
heaven.  Exalted  creatures  such  as  these,  God 
had  for  messengers  and  ministers. 

Nearly  500  years  later  (1005  B.  C.),  when  the 
temple  was  built,  these  holy  figures  were  there 
upon  the  ark.  When  Solomon  reared  the  temple, 
he  prepared  with  it  the  oracle,  "to  set  there  the 
ark  of  the  covenant  of  the  Lord."  And  above  the 
ark,   he   made   larger  cherubim   than   those   two 


134        THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

which  have  been  described.  (I.  Kings  6;  23-28). 
"Within  the  oracle  he  made  two  cherubims  of 
ohve  tree,  each  ten  cubits  high.* 

24.  And  five  cubits  was  the  one  wing  of  the 
cherub,  and  five  cubits  the  other  wing  of  the 
cherub:  from  the  uttermost  part  of  the  one  wing 
unto  the  uttermost  part  of  the  other  were  ten 
cubits. 

25.  And  the  other  cherub  was  ten  cubits :  both 
the  cherubims  were  of  one  measure  and  one  size. 

26.  The  height  of  the  one  cherub  was  ten 
cubits,  and  so  was  it  of  the  other  cherub. 

27.  And  he  set  the  cherubims  within  the  inner 
house;  and  they  stretched  forth  the  wings  of  the 
cherubims,  so  that  the  wing  of  the  one  touched 
the  one  wall,  and  the  wing  of  the  other  touched 
the  other  wall;  and  their  wings  touched  one  an- 
other in  the  midst  of  the  house."  Compare  also 
II.  Chronicles  3;  10-12. 

And  when  King  Solomon,  and  the  elders  bore 
the  ark  to  the  temple  to  the  most  holy  place, 
"the  priests  brought  in  the  ark  of  the  covenant 
*  *  *  to  the  most  holy  place,  even  under  the  wings 
of  the  cherubims.  For  the  cherubims  spread  forth 
their  two  wings  over  the  place  of  the  ark,  and  the 
cherubims  covered  the  ark  and  the  staves  thereof 
above.     (I.  Kings  8;  6-7). 

And  here  it  stood  for  generations. 

About  758  before  Christ,  a  parallel  representa- 

•  A  cubit  was  about  18-22  Inches. 


CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.  135 

tion  is  given  by  Isaiah.  "In  the  year  that  King 
Uzziah  died,  I  saw  also  the  Lord  sitting  upon  a 
throne,  high  and  Hfted  up,  and  His  train  filled  the 
temple.  Above  it  stood  the  seraphims:  each  one 
had  six  wings;  with  twain  he  covered  his  face, 
and  with  twain  he  covered  his  feet,  and  with  twain 
he  did  fly."  (Is.  6;  1-2).  The  prophet  continues, 
"Then  flew  one  of  the  seraphims  unto  me."  (Is. 
6;  6).    Here  was  a  seraph  represented  as  flying. 

Later,  about  594  B.  C,  a  corresponding  pic- 
ture is  given  by  Ezekiel.  "Then  the  glory  of  the 
Lord  departed  from  off  the  threshold  of  the  house, 
and  stood  over  the  cherubims.  And  the  cheru- 
bims  lifted  up  their  wings,  and  mounted  up  from 
the  earth  in  my  sight."     (Ezekiel  10;  18-19). 

In  Ezekiel  I.  the  cherubim  are  represented  as 
having  four  wings.  This  number  apparently  was 
to  indicate  their  ability  to  move  with  instant 
rapidity  in  any  direction  without  turning.  In  this 
vision  the  cherubim  had  other  striking  character- 
istics. Though  there  are  reasons  for  believing 
that  this  appearance  which  the  prophet  saw  was 
only  symbolic. 

The  holy  angelic  beings  are  sometimes  referred 
to  as  pure  spirits.  As  such,  they  can  no  more  be 
portrayed  by  picture  or  physical  form  than  can  the 
Holy  Ghost.  They  sometimes  appear  clothed  with 
flesh  and  blood.  As  if  they  had  taken  human 
bodies;  as  Christ  did  occasionally  in  the  Old  Tes- 
tament, and  permanently  in  the  New.   They  some- 


136         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

times  are  described  as  having  wings,  as  having 
hands  under  their  wings,  as  being  full  of  eyes,  as 
having  each  the  head  of  an  ox,  of  a  hon,  of  an 
eagle,  as  well  as  that  of  a  man,  etc.  (Thus  in  Eze- 
kiel  I.,  and  Rev.  4).  These  latter  representations 
and  visions  of  them  are  all  apparently  symbolic; 
designed  to  give,  in  figurative  terms,  clearer  and 
more  striking  conceptions  than  could  be  expressed 
in  literal  way,  of  their  nature  and  activities,  their 
wonderful  knowledge,  courage,  keenness  of  vision, 
power  of  sustained  effort,  celerity  of  motion,  etc. 

But  God  is  repeatedly  spoken  of  as  He  that 
"dwelleth  between  the  cherubims."  For  instance, 
"The  Lord  of  hosts  that  dwelleth  between  the 
cherubims."  (II.  Sam.  6;  2).  He  is  addressed  as 
"God,  which  dwelleth  between  the  cherubims." 
(II.  Kings  19;  15).  Such  lofty  intelligences  as  the 
cherubim  are  forever  present  to  do  his  bidding; 
and  they  move  wherever  throughout  His  empire 
He  may  send  them. 

The  familiar  custom  of  representing  the  angels 
with  wings,  has  a  Scriptural  warrant.  And  the 
question  whether  this  Biblical  representation  of 
them  is  designed  to  be  literal  or  symbolical,  is  for 
us  unimportant.  For,  in  either  case,  it  certainly 
meant  to  indicate  that  they  had  power  of  aerial 
flight  and  rapid  motion.  When  Nebuchadnezzar 
said,  "I  saw  in  the  visions  of  my  head  upon  my 
bed,  and  behold  a  watcher  and  an  holy  one  come 
down  from  heaven,"  obviously  he  referred  to  mo- 


CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.  137 

tion  of  this  character. 

In  Luke  i;  19,  Gabriel  says,  "I  am  Gabriel,  that 
stand  in  the  presence  of  God;"  thus  indicating  that 
his  habitual  place  is  there  in  heaven  before  the 
throne.  But,  in  the  third  year  of  the  reign  of  King 
Belshazzar  (about  553  before  Christ),  he  came 
down  to  Daniel.  And  the  prophet  says  (Dan.  8; 
2),  "I  saw  in  a  vision,  and  I  was  by  the  river  of 
Ulai."  Here  follows  a  description  of  the  vision. 
"And  I  heard  a  man's  voice  between  the  banks  of 
Ulai,  which  called,  and  said,  Gabriel,  make  this 
man  to  understand  the  vision."  (Chap.  8;  16). 
Then  Daniel  was  awakened  by  Gabriel.  "Now  as 
he  was  speaking  with  me,  I  was  in  a  deep  sleep 
on  my  face  toward  the  ground :  but  he  touched  me, 
and  set  me  upright."  (Chap.  8;  18).  Then  Gabriel 
interpreted  the  vision.  And  "I  Daniel  fainted,  and 
was  sick  certain  days." 

About  fifteen  years  later,  in  the  year  538  B.  C, 
in  the  first  year  of  Darius,  while  Daniel  was  in 
prayer,  Gabriel  came  to  the  prophet  again.  "Yea, 
while  I  was  speaking  in  prayer,  even  the  man  Ga- 
briel, whom  I  had  seen  in  the  vision  at  the  begin- 
ning, being  caused  to  fly  swiftly,  touched  me  about 
the  time  of  the  evening  oblation."  He  apparently 
had  just  come  from  Heaven;  and  was  made  to  fly 
swiftly,  to  announce  when  the  Messiah  should  ap- 
pear. 

Then,  about  532  years  later,  he  appeared  to 
Zacharias,to  announce  to  him  the  prospective  birth 


138         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

of  John.  And  he  said,  "I  am  Gabriel  that  stand 
in  the  presence  of  God,  and  am  sent  to  speak  unto 
thee,  and  to  shew  thee  these  glad  tidings."  (Luke 
I ;  19).  The  language  indicates  that  again  he  has 
just  come  from  the  presence  of  God  in  Heaven. 

And,  about  six  months  later  (v.  26),  "The  angel 
Gabriel  was  sent  from  God''  to  Mary  to  announce 
the  coming  birth  of  Christ.  The  language  here 
indicates  that  he  has  just  come  from  God  again. 
Thus  Gabriel  is  represented  as  going  to  and  fro 
between  Heaven  and  earth. 

Of  course  other  angels  may  have  this  same 
power.  Thus,  in  Luke  22;  43,  we  read  "There 
appeared  an  angel  from  heaven  strengthening 
him."  And  in  Matt.  28;  2,  "There  was  a  great 
earthquake,  for  the  angel  of  God  descended  from 
heaven,  and  came  and  rolled  back  the  stone  *  * 
and  sat  upon  it." 

Again,  "And  I  saw  another  mighty  angel"  (Re- 
vised Version,  "strong  angel")  come  down  from 
heaven,  clothed  with  a  cloud,  and  a  rainbow  was 
upon  his  head,  *  *  *  *  and  his  feet  as  pillars  of 
fire."  (Rev.  10;  i).  After  these  things,  I  saw  an- 
other angel  come  dozvn  from  heaven,  having  great 
power,  and  the  earth  was  lightened  with  his  glory." 
(Rev.  18;  i).  "And  I  saw  an  angel  come  dozvn 
from  heaven,  having  the  key  of  the  bottomless 
pit."  (Rev.  20;  i).  Here  are  other  instances  of 
angels  coming  down  from  heaven.     These  pass- 


CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.  139 

ages  certainly  are  intended  to  convey  the  idea  that 
angels  have  the  power  of  far-ranging  flight. 

They  come  to  earth  in  multitudes,  and  then  re- 
turn to  Heaven.  Thus,  on  the  plains  of  Bethle- 
hem, the  angel  said  to  the  shepherds,  "Behold,  I 
bring  you  good  tidings  of  great  joy,  which  shall 
be  to  all  people.  For  unto  you  is  born  this  day, 
in  the  city  of  David  a  Saviour,  which  is  Christ  the 
Lord."  And  suddenly  there  was  with  the  angel 
a  multitude  of  the  heavenly  host  praising  God,  and 
saying.  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and  on  earth 
peace,  good  will  toward  men."  (Luke  2;  13-16). 
Then  this  throng  of  angels,  with  airy  flight,  disap- 
peared in  the  depths  of  the  sky;  returning  to  the 
heavenly  home  from  which  they  came.  For,  a 
little  further  on,  (v.  16),  we  read  that  "the  angels 
v»'"ere  gone  away  from  them"  (the  shepherds)  *'into 
heaven."  Thus  the  announcement  of  the  birth  ol 
Christ,  is  attended  with  a  grand  display  of  this 
power  of  ethereal  locomotion,  which  is,  in  the  fu- 
ture state,  to  be  possessed  by  every  believer. 

The  appearance  of  seraphim  and  cherubim, 
spiritual  beings  of  highest  order,  winged,  as  if 
specially  to  signify  their  supernal  capacities  for 
journeying,  continues  to  the  last,  highest,  and 
most  advanced  visions  and  descriptions  of  the 
heavenly  city  in  Revelation.  And  these  represen- 
tations, as  we  all  know,  portray  events  which  are 
to  be  happening  in  the  distant  future;  after  the 


140         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

Church  miHtant  has  become  the  Church  trium- 
phant, estabhshed  in  its  eternal  state. 

So,  with  the  doctrine  that  there  are  angeHc 
spirits  of  the  other  world,  goes  the  companion 
doctrine  that  they  have  power  of  traversing  the 
abyss  of  space  between  heaven  and  earth.  Noth- 
ing whatever  about  their  abilities  and  endowments 
is  more  clearly  taught  than  this. 

But  with  this  it  must  be  granted  that  they  can 
move  in  dififerent  directions  through  space.  Sup- 
pose the  earth  is  at  the  extreme  eastern  end  of  its 
orbit.  Angels  can  come  from  Heaven  to  earth 
there;  and  from  there  they  can  go  back  to  Heaven. 
Or  now  earth  has  swept  around  its  orbit  to  the 
extreme  western  end,  one  hundred  and  eighty  mil- 
lions of  miles  from  where  it  was  before.  But  an- 
gels can  come  to  it  at  that  point;  and,  from  that 
point,  they  can  go  back  to  Heaven.  No  matter 
where  the  earth  may  be,  in  its  vast  circuits;  angels 
can  come  to  that  location;  and,  from  that  location, 
they  can  go  back  to  the  City  of  God. 

If  they  can  fly  to  any  point  along  the  orbit  of 
earth,  they  can  go  to  any  point  in  the  plane  of 
that  orbit.  They  can  go  to  the  sun.  And  John 
says,  "I  saw  an  angel  standing  in  the  sun."  (Rev. 
19;  17).  You  say,  "That  was  only  a  vision."  But, 
even  in  that  case,  it  was  a  significant  vision.  And, 
whatever  else  it  indicated,  it  also  implied  this — 
that  God  can  send  an  angel  to  the  sun,  and  the 
angel  can  go  to  the  sun. 


CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.  141 

But,  from  whatever  quarter  angels  may  come, 
since  the  moon  is  revolving  around  the  earth  in 
various  directions,  there  would  be  times  when,  on 
approaching  earth,  angels  must  pass  the  moon. 
Surely  they  can  stop  off  on  the  moon.  There  are 
other  bodies  between  earth  and  the  sun.  Surely 
they  can  alight  on  these  other  bodies.  And,  if 
an  angel  can  stand  in  the  sun,  he  can  stand  on 
Uranus,  or  Neptune,  or  any  other  orb  of  whose 
existence  we  have  any  knowledge.  And,  if  they 
can  traverse  such  distances  along  these  courses, 
then  also  along  any  others. 

We  cannot  question  but  that  God  may  despatch 
angels  to  any  portion  of  the  universe.  Angels  can 
move  through  space  in  any  direction,  and  to  any 
distance.  Thus  the  teachings  of  inspiration  plainly 
indicate  that  God's  angelic  servants  have  power 
to  fly  in  glorious  majesty  throughout  His  illimit- 
able empire. 


CHAPTER  VII 

GLORIFIED  SAINTS  HAVE  THE  POWER  OF  CELESTIAL 
FLIGHT 

Glorified  human  beings  in  the  other  world  will 
possess  this  same  power  the  angels  have. 

1.  The  saints  will  not  be  inferior  to  angels. 
"Neither  can  they  die  any  more:  for  they  are 

equal  unto  the  angels;  and  are  the  children  of  God, 
being  the  children  of  the  resurrection."  (Luke  20; 
36).  Nay,  these  children  of  God  are  to  be,  not 
only  as  the  angels,  but  superior  to  them.  "Know 
ye  not  that  we  shall  judge  angels?"  (I.  Cor.  6;  3). 
"For  unto  the  angels  hath  he  not  put  in  subjec- 
tion the  world  to  come."    (Hev.  2;  5). 

2.  Parallel  with  these  teachings  about  angels, 
run  other  correspondent  Scripture  teachings  about 
the  power  human  beings  are  to  have  in  the  coming 
life. 

Enoch  went  directly  up  to  Heaven.  "By  faith 
Enoch  was  translated,  that  he  should  not  see  death, 
and  was  not  found,  because  God  had  translated 
him;  for,  before  his  translation,  he  had  this  testi- 
mony that  he  pleased  God."     (Heb.  11;  5).     But, 

142 


OUR  POWER  OF  CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.  143 

before  he  went,  he  uttered  a  prophecy,  teaching 
that  one  day  he  should  return  to  earth  agam. 
"Enoch,  the  seventh  from  Adam,  prophesied,  *  * 
saying.  Behold  the  Lord  cometh  with  ten  thou- 
sands of  his  saints."    (Jude  14). 

This  was  the  last  coming,  at  the  judgment,  with 
all  His  saints.  Of  course  Enoch  was  to  be  among 
them.  Unquestionably  Enoch's  translation,  at  the 
commencement  of  human  history,  was  intended  to 
be  an  illustration  of  the  amazing  power  of  motion 
which  God  designed  to  confer  upon  his  people.  It 
is  very  probable  that  Enoch's  prophecy  about  his 
future  return  to  earth,  was  not  then  understood. 
But  God  meant  that  later  it  should  become  en- 
tirely intelligible.  Thus  we  see  that,  from  the  very 
beginning,  was  taught  the  doctrine  that  a  man 
may  traverse  the  distance  between  earth  and 
Heaven,  then  retrace  it,  and  come  back  to  earth. 

Then  God's  people,  one  and  another,  at  their 
death,  went  up  to  the  heavenly  city.  Abraham 
died,  Isaac,  Jacob,  Moses,  Samuel,  and  all  the 
prophets.  And  of  course  the  Bible  declares  that 
they  have  their  place  in  Heaven.  "Ye  shall  see 
Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  and  all  the 
prophets,  in  the  kingdom  of  God."  (Luke  13;  28). 
All  these  have  traversed  the  distance  between 
earth  and  Heaven.  And  unnamed,  unnumbered 
hosts  beside  have  journeyed  through  the  distance 
between  earth  and  the  courts  above. 

Then,  about  1055  B.  C.,  Samuel  returned  to 


144         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

earth,  and  appeared  at  Endor,  to  the  witch  and  to 
King  Saul.  Then  he  went  back  to  the  heavenly 
city.  Certainly  three  times  he  has  covered  the 
distance  between  earth  and  the  far-off  Heaven. 

Now,  about  896  before  Christ,  th^  time  has 
come  when  "the  Lord  would  take  up  Elijah  into 
heaven."  "And  there  appeared  a  chariot  of  fire, 
and  horses  of  fire,  *****  ^ind  Elijah  went  up  by" 
a  whirlwind  into  heaven."    (II.  Kings  2;  i-ii). 

Then  a  little  boy  died.  And  his  spirit,  accord- 
ing to  the  belief  of  the  Christian  Church,  went  at' 
once  to  the  bosom  of  God.  But  Elijah  restored 
him  to  life.  So  the  child's  spirit  came  back  from 
Heaven  to  earth.  Then  he  died  again;  and,  if  he 
died  as  a  child  of  God,  his  spirit  returned  to 
Heaven. 

Lazarus  died.  Of  course  his  spirit  went  to  the 
far-off  celestial  city.  Then  he  came  back  to  earth. 
Thus,  for  the  second  time,  he  crossed  that  im- 
measurable gulf.  Then  he  died  again,  and  went 
back  to  his  celestial  home.  Three  times  he  made 
the  journey  between  earth  and  heaven. 

Doubtless  the  same  thing  was  true  about  the 
son  of  the  widow  of  Nain,  and  the  ruler's  daugh- 
ter; both  of  whom  Christ  raised  from  death.  We 
cannot  suppose  their  spirits  went  to  the  place  of 
punishment,  and  were  then  brought  back  to 
Christ.  But  rather  that  they  had  gone  to  the 
place  of  the  blest;  and  from  thence  he  called  them 
back  to  earth.    Then,  after  death,  they  reascended 


OUR  POWER  OF  CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.  145 

to  the  abodes  of  peace.  So  Tabitha,  or  Dorcas, 
died.  (Acts  9;  40).  Her  spirit,  like  that  of  the 
penitent  thief,  went  at  once  to  paradise.  Then  it 
returned  again.  Then  once  more  it  passed  up  to 
heaven." 

Then  Moses  came  back  from  Heaven  to  earth, 
and  appeared  with  Christ  on  the  Mount  of  Trans- 
figuration.    Elijah  appeared  beside  him. 

Twice  these  two  mighty  spirits  had  traveled 
the  distance  between  this  lower  earth  and  the 
pearly  gates  above.  Then  they  twain,  Moses  and 
Elijah,  together  went  back  to  Heaven  again. 
Three  times  the  distance  has  been  traversed  by 
each  one  of  them. 

Enoch  and  Elijah  must  have  received  their 
glorified  or  resurrection  bodies,  for  "flesh  and 
blood  cannot  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God."  So  we 
see  disembodied  spirits,  and  spirits  in  their  glori- 
fied resurrection  bodies,  making  the  journey  be- 
tween the  earthly  and  the  heavenly  home. 

"And  many  bodies  of  the  saints  which  slept 
arose,  and  came  out  of  the  graves  after  his  resur- 
rection, and  went  into  the  holy  city,  and  appeared 
unto  many."  (Matt.  27;  52-53).  These  saints  had 
gone  to  Heaven;  then  come  back  to  earth.  Then 
they  returned  to  Heaven  again.  Three  times  they 
have  made  that  distant  journey.  Remember  the 
last  time  they  did  it,  they  were  in  their  glorified 
bodies. 

How  many  men  must  journey  through  those  im- 


146         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

measurable  realms,  and  how  often  must  each  one 
do  it,  in  order  to  prove  that  such  far-ranging 
flight  is  possible?  If  these  men  could  cross  that 
abyss  three  times,  they  could  do  it  indefinitely, 
over  and  over  again. 

At  least  seven  times  the  man  Jesus  (i.  e.,  the 
human  soul  of  Christ)  has  made  that  journey  be- 
tween earth  and  the  golden  streets. 

1.  At  His  crucifixion,  He  certainly  went  up  to 
Heaven;  to  whatever  other  place  He  may  have 
also  gone  a  little  later.  He  said  to  the  penitent 
thief,  "To-day  shalt  thou  be  with  me  in  paradise." 

2.  Then  He  returned  to  earth  for  His  resurrec- 
tion. 

3.  Then,  in  His  resurrection  body,  He  ascended 
from  the  Mount  of  Olives.  And,  as  He  swept 
through  the  azure,  the  disciples  watched  His  airy 
flight.  "He  was  parted  from  them,  and  carried 
up  into  heaven."  (Luke  24;  51).  "Into  heaven, 
*  *  on  the  right  hand  of  God."   (I.  Peter  3;  22). 

4.  Then  He  came  to  earth  again,  and  appeared 
to  Saul  of  Tarsus  at  the  Damascus  gate.  Saul  be- 
held a  great  light,  and  heard  a  voice,  "Saul.  Saul, 
why  persecutest  thou  me?"  And  he,  terrified  and 
afifrighted,  said,  "Who  art  thou.  Lord?"  "And 
he  said,  I  am  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  whom  thou  per- 
secutest." 

It  was  absolutely  necessary,  in  order  to  be  an 
apostle,  that  a  man  should  have  seen  Christ  after 
His  resurrection;  so  he  could  testify,  from  his  own 


OUR  POWER  OF  CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.  147 

personal  knowledge,  that  Christ  had  risen  from  the 
dead.  And,  after  enumerating  the  other  persons 
to  whom,  and  the  occasions  on  which  Christ  had 
appeared,  subsequent  to  His  resurrection,  Paul 
says,  "Last  of  all,  he  was  seen  of  me  also,  as  of  one 
born  out  of  due  time." 

5.  Then  He  reascended  to  Heaven  again. 

6.  Later  came  back,  "And  the  night  following 
the  Lord"  said  to  his  apostle,  "Be  of  good  cheer, 
Paul :  for  as  thou  hast  testified  of  me  in  Jerusalem, 
so  must  thou  bear  witness  also  at  Rome."  (Acts 
23;  11).  This  was  not  a  vision,  it  was  an  actual 
appearance.  The  Lord  apparently  had  descended 
from  His  throne  again,  to  appear  to  Paul. 

7.  Then  once  more  He  reascends  to  Heaven. 

Twice  His  human  spirit  made  the  journey  with- 
out the  body.  Then  five  times,  in  the  resurrection 
body.  Then  He  is  to  come  the  eighth  time,  at  the 
judgment.  Seven  times  He  has  already  made  the 
journey.  The  eighth  time  He  will  make  it.  The 
Bible  specifically  enumerates  eight  instances  in 
which  the  man  Jesus  takes  the  journey  between 
earth  and  Heaven. 

Peter  said  of  the  Lord,  "He  shall  send  Jesus 
Christ,  *  *  *  whom  the  heaven  must  receive  until 
the  times  of  restitution  of  all  things,  which  God 
had  spoken  by  the  mouth  of  all  his  holy  prophets 
since  the  world  began."  (Acts  3;  20-21).  But 
this  plainly  does  not  signify  that  Christ  shall  re- 
main in  Heaven  continuously  until  the  times  of 


148         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

restitution  of  all  things.  Earth  had  been  especially 
the  place  of  His  sojourning.  Now  Heaven  is  to  be 
His  general  abode.  Still  He  is  not  always  there. 
For,  after  Peter  had  said  these  words  that  have 
been  quoted,  Christ  came  down  from  Heaven,  and 
appeared  to  Saul  at  Damascus.  Then  later  he  ap- 
peared to  Paul  again  by  night  in  Jerusalem.  (Acta 
23;  11).  And  of  course  He  may  have  come  on 
other  occasions  that  are  not  recorded. 

It  is  no  more  certain  that  Christ  is  risen  from 
the  dead,  than  it  is  that  His  glorified  body  has 
power  to  traverse  the  vast  realms  of  space,  be- 
tween earth  and  Heaven,  backward  and  forward. 
If  He  has  seven  times  crossed  the  distance  be- 
tween earth  and  Heaven,  and  done  it  five  times  in 
His  resurrection  body;  surely  He  can  do  it  again 
and  again,  an  indefinite  number  of  times.  The 
glorified  man  has  this  power  of  flight  from  world 
to  world. 

THE    THREE    STAGES    IN    THE    DEVELOPMENT    OF 

MAN. 

Man,  in  order  to  reach  his  final  and  highest 
state,  has  ordinarily  to  pass  through  three  stages. 
I.  The  soul  is  united  to  the  natural  body.  2.  The 
soul  is  separated  from  that  body.  3.  The  soul 
is  in  its  glorified  body.  This  seems  to  hold  true 
of  our  entire  race;  except  Enoch,  Elijah,  and  those 
who  shall  be  living  when  Christ  comes  in  judg- 
ment. 


OUR  POWER  OF  CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.  149 

I.  That  man,  in  the  natural  body,  (i.  e.,  his 
present  state),  can  ever  journey  from  earth  to 
Heaven,  we  have  no  reason  to  beheve.  The  only 
persons  of  whom  it  could,  for  an  instant,  be  sug- 
gested that  such  a  thing  ever  did  occur,  were 
Enoch  and  Elijah. 

But  the  apostle  says,  "flesh  and  blood"  (i.  e., 
this  natural  body)  "cannot  inherit  the  kingdom  of 
God."  Therefore  we  assume  that  the  bodies  of 
those  two  saints,  before  actually  entering  Heaven, 
underwent  a  change,  and  entered  into  their  glori- 
fied state,  as  will  the  bodies  of  those  believers 
who  are  living  upon  earth  when  our  Lord  shall 
come.  Plainly  Enoch  and  Elijah  should  h€ 
classed  with  those  persons  who  do  not  see  death, 
but  receive  their  glorified  bodies  by  sudden 
change. 

Yet  it  is  not  easy  to  tell  whether  their  bodies 
entered  the  glorified  state  before  they  left  earth, 
or  afterward.  And  this  question  would  seem  to 
be  comparatively  unimportant.  For,  as  we  shall 
see  later,  the  time  occupied  in  journeying  from 
earth  to  Heaven  is  comparatively  very  brief. 
Hence,  as  Enoch  and  Elijah  stand  by  themselves, 
we  need  not  attempt  a  special  discussion  of  their 
cases;  further  than  to  note  the  following  points: 
Enoch's  prediction  of  the  judgment  contained  a 
veiled  prophecy  that  he,  with  the  other  saints, 
should  return  to  earth  at  that  time.  And  Elijah 
did  actually  come  back  to  earth  at  Christ's  Trans- 


150         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

figuration.     So,  to  these  two  men,  must  be  con- 
ceded the  power  to  traverse  the  realms  of  space. 

2.  The  soul  is  separated  from  the  body. 

The  body  remains  upon  or  in  the  earth.  The 
soul  goes  to  the  bosom  of  God.  Souls,  in  this 
state,  have  passed  from  earth  to  Heaven,  as 
Samuel  and  Moses,  and  the  great  multitudes  of 
believers  who  have  died  in  Christ.  Furthermore, 
in  this  state,  they  come  back  from  Heaven  to  earth. 
For  they  must  do  this  to  receive  their  resurrection 
bodies.  Hence  the  disembodied  spirits  of  men 
have  power  to  travel  between  earth  and  Heaven 
either  way.  And,  if  they  can  traverse  the  space 
between  earth  and  Heaven,  we  are  compelled  to 
believe  they  can  explore  the  kingdoms  of  space  in 
other  directions  also. 

3.  The  soul  obtains  its  glorified  body. 

There  are  two  ways  in  which  it  may  receive  the 
final  spiritual  body. 

a.  By  resurrection. 

b.  By  the  sudden  change,  which  comes  over 
those  who  are  upon  earth  at  our  Saviour's  second 
advent.  "We  which  are  alive,  *  *  *  shall  not  pre- 
vent them  which  are  asleep.  For  the  Lord  him- 
self shall  descend  from  heaven  with  a  shout,  *  * 
and  the  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first;  then  we 
which  are  alive  and  remain  shall  be  caught  up  to- 
gether with  them  in  the  clouds,  to  meet  the  Lord 
in  the  air;  and  so  shall  we  ever  be  with  the  Lord." 
(IL  Thess.  4;  15-17)-   In  the  case  of  this  one  gen- 


OUR  POWER  OF  CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.  151 

eration,  which  will  be  living  upon  earth  when 
Christ  comes,  the  soul  will  never  be  separated 
from  the  body.  But,  while  the  soul  is  still  in  the 
body,  the  latter  will  be  changed  from  the  natural 
to  the  glorified  state. 

But  the  glorified  bodies  received  by  the  saints 
who  are  alive  at  Christ's  coming,  and  whose  bodies 
are  then  changed,  are  exactly  the  same  as  the 
glorified  bodies  of  those  who  are  then  raised  from 
the  dead.  And  certainly  the  soul  in  its  glorified 
body,  whether  it  receives  that  body  by  resurrec- 
tion from  the  dead,  or  by  change,  can  traverse 
space.  Christ's  resurrection  body  had  that  power. 
And  "many  bodies  of  the  saints  which  slept  arose, 
and  came  out  of  the  graves  after  his  resurrection, 
and  went  into  the  holy  city,  and  appeared  unto 
many."  (Matt.  2"]',  52-53).  They  had  receivecf 
their  resurrection  bodies.  They  did  not  die  again, 
but  must  have  followed  Christ  to  Heaven. 

Of  those  persons  whose  journeyings  between 
earth  and  Heaven  have  been  specially  noticed,  we 
may  take  another  view.  They  perhaps  may  be  re- 
garded as  representing  different  classes  of  per- 
sons in  the  Church. 

IN  THE   OLD   TESTAMENT. 

Moses  was  the  great  executive  of  the  law,  the 
most  conspicuous  character  under  the  old  cove- 
nant.    Three  times  he  has  made  the  journey  be- 


152         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

tween  earth  and  Heaven.  Samuel  was  first  in  a 
long  line  of  successive  prophets.  He  was  a  great 
and  extraordinary  leader  among  the  people. 
Samuel  is  associated  with  Moses  in  Jeremiah  15; 
I.  "Though  Moses  and  Samuel  stood  before  me, 
yet  my  mind  could  not  be  toward  this  people." 
Three  times  Samuel  has  traversed  the  distance  be- 
^tween  Heaven  and  our  globe.  Elijah  was  a 
mighty  reformer.  Three  times  he  has  traversed 
it.  These  men  belonged  to  the  number  of  those 
holding  official  position. 

Enoch  was  of  the  antediluvian  world,  whose 
revelations  were  not  so  complete.  Yet  he,  in  the 
body,  travelled  through  the  space  between  earth 
and  Heaven.  Again,  (H.  Kings  13;  21,)  they 
were  burying  a  man,  and  cast  him  into  the 
sepulchre  of  Elisha.  And  when  the  man  was  let 
down  and  touched  the  bones  of  Elisha,  he  revived 
and  stood  upon  his  feet.  We  cannot  believe  an 
enemy  of  God  was  thus  raised  from  the  dead.  We 
must  hold  this  man  was  a  worshipper  of  Jehovah. 
So  his  spirit  had  gone  to  Heaven,  then  come  back 
to  earth.  And  finally  we  must  assume  it  went  to 
Heaven  again.  These  two  instances  may  stand 
for  the  class  of  those  who  did  not  hold  official 
position.  Then  there  were  the  little  boy  whom 
Elijah  raised  to  life  (I.  Kings  17;  21-22),  and  the 
boy  whom  Elisha  restored  from  death  (H.  Kings 
4;  35)-  We  must  hold  that  their  spirits  had  made 
the  journey  from  earth  to  Heaven,  then  returned 


OUR  POWER  OF  CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.  153 

to  earth.     They  may  represent  the  class  of  chil- 
dren. 

IN  THE  NEW  TESTAMENT. 

First  of  course  was  Christ,  the  great  central 
figure  of  all  revelation.  His  human  soul  made 
the  journey  at  least  seven  times. 

The  ruler's  daughter,  whose  spirit  went  to 
Heaven,  returned,  then  went  again,  may  represent 
the  class  of  youth.  Lazarus  and  the  many  (prob- 
ably both  Jews  and  Gentiles)  who  *^came  out  of 
the  graves  after  his"  (Christ's)  "resurrection," 
may  represent  the  great  multitudes  of  those  in 
humbler  station  who  Had  accepted  Christ.  These 
persons  all  went  up  to  Heaven,  then  returned  to 
earth;  then  once  more  they  went  back  to  the 
skies.  Perhaps  the  Intention  was  that  their  cases 
should  be  illustrative  of  all  the  dififerent  classes  of 
humanity. 

Nor  can  it  for  an  instant  be  intimated,  that 
these  mighty  celestial  journeys  were  things  of  the 
distant  past,  and  never  to  be  repeated.  Far  from 
it.  In  Rev.  ii;  11-12,  two  prophets  of  God  have 
been  killed.  "And  after  three  days  and  an  half 
the  spirit  of  life  from  God  entered  into  them,  and 
they  stood  upon  their  feet;  and  great  fear  fell 
upon  them  which  saw  them.  And  they  heard  a 
great  voice  from  heaven  saying  unto  them,  come 
up  hither.  And  they  ascended  up  to  heaven  in  a 
cloud,  and  their  enemies  beheld  them."     By  and 


154        THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

by  those  glorified  beings  will  come  back  to  earth 
again. 

As  Enoch  from  the  beginning  prophesied,  "The 
Lord  Cometh  with  ten  thousand  of  his  saints." 
(Jude  14);  so  Matthew  says,  "When  the  Son  of 
man  shall  come  in  his  glory,  and  all  the  holy 
angels  with  him,  then  shall  he  sit  upon  the  throne 
of  his  glory."  (Chap.  26;  31).  And  Paul  says, 
"To  the  end  he  may  establish  your  hearts  un- 
blamable in  holiness  before  God,  even  our  Father, 
at  the  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  with  all  his 
saints.  (I.  Thess.  3;  13).  "The  Lord  himself  shall 
descend  from  heaven  with  a  shout,  *  *  *  Then 
we  which  are  alive  and  remain  shall  be  caught  up 
together  with  them  in  the  clouds,  to  meet  the 
Lord  in  the  air.  (I.  Thes.  4;  16-17).  Enoch  had 
been  caught  up  to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air.  So 
had  Elijah.    These  others  are  to  be  caught  up. 

Thus,  when  Christ  appears  again,  with  Him  will 
come  the  entire  multitude  of  those  saints  who 
have  passed  from  earth  prior  to  His  final  coming. 
For  the  great  host  of  those  who  have  gone  to 
Heaven,  but  now  return,  it  will  be  another  journey 
between  earth  and  paradise.  For  Samuel,  Moses, 
Elijah,  Lazarus,  and  the  many  saints  who  rose 
from  their  graves  after  Christ's  resurrection,  it 
will  be  the  fourth  journey  between  Heaven  and 
earth.  For  Christ,  the  eighth  recorded  journey 
of  this  kind. 

Now  comes   the  final  judgment,  when  all  na- 


OUR  POWER  OF  CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.  155 

tions  of  the  earth,  both  small  and  great,  are  to 
stand  before  God;  be  assigned  to  and  confirmed 
in  their  eternal  state.  And,  after  the  dead  are 
risen,  those  which  remain  shall  be  caught  up  "to 
meet  the  Lord  in  the  air."  So  now  the  entire 
Church  of  God  will  be  endowed  with  this  power 
of  mighty  and  universe-exploring  flight. 

About  our  reasoning  up  to  this  point,  there  is 
no  fancy  or  speculation.  These  positions  are  in- 
contestable. They  are  but  a  sound,  sober,  and 
logical  presentation  of  the  simple  teachings  of  the 
Word.  If  there  be  anything  which  is  .unmistak- 
ably revealed  about  the  physical  life  of  redeemed 
man  in  his  future  state,  it  would  seem  to  be  this, 
that  he  has  a  power  of  motion  transcending  any  of 
which  we  have  the  slightest  experience  here  on 
earth. 

And  as,  on  at  least  eight  occasions,  Jesus, 
either  with  or  without  His  glorified  body,  crosses 
the  abysses  of  space  between  this  globe  and 
Heaven;  so  obviously  He  may  go  to  and  from  any 
other  spheres  throughout  the  universe.  But,  in 
exactly  the  same  manner,  so  may  each  and  every 
departed  saint,  whether  in  the  body  or  out  of  the 
body,  do  precisely  the  same  thing.  Far  as  mere 
ability  to  do  this  is  concerned,  he  possesses  that, 

SOME  OBJECTIONS  ANSWERED,  AND  SOME  FUR- 
THER POINTS  DISCUSSED. 

If  it  be  objected  that  this  would  imply  rapidity 


156         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

of  motion  and  other  powers  beyond  any  human 
possibiHty,  also  an  exposure  to  heat  and  cold 
which  humanity  could  not  endure,  we  would  reply 
that  the  glorified  body  is  certainly  raised,  at  least 
to  some  extent,  above  those  laws  of  nature  to 
which  it  is  at  present  subject. 

But,  before  covering  the  specific  points  just 
raised,  we  may  here  properly  make  a  few  remarks 
about  some  other  things  pertaining  to  the  glorified 
body.  Of  its  youthfulness  and  its  beauty  we  have 
already  spoken.    We  notice  now 

(i).    Its  Senses. 

It  certainly  seems  to  possess  all  the  senses  we 
have  at  present.  For  Jesus,  after  rising  from  the 
grave,  sees,  hears,  tastes,  and  touches.  Doubtless 
it  has  them  in  still  higher  degrees  of  perfection. 
Many  animals  exhibit  powers  of  sense  which  in  one 
way  or  another  are  superior  to  those  of  men.  We 
are  naturally  justified  in  expecting  that,  in  our 
higher  estate,  we  shall  have  sensory  endowments 
which  at  least  will  equal  those  of  the  lower  crea- 
tures we  see  about  us  here.  For  who  would  like 
to  afBrm  that  the  glorified  body  of  the  Son  of  God 
is,  in  any  of  its  sensory  powers,  inferior  ^o  any  of 
the  animals  He  Himself  has  made? 

Of  all  our  senses,  the  most  important  one  is  that 
of  vision.  If  there  were  any  Biblical  indication  of 
increase  in  the  capacity  of  any  sense,  we  should 
look  for  it  in  that  of  sight.    It  is  not  so  important 


OUR  POWER  OF  CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.  157 

there  should  be  higher  development  in  our  powers 
of  hearing,  touch,  taste,  smell,  etc.  They  are  far 
less  important  than  the  power  of  sight,  and  sub- 
ordinate to  that. 

We  do  not  get  much  light  upon  this  subject  by 
studying  the  person  of  the  glorified  man.  He 
must  have  powers  of  seeing  and  hearing  what 
transpires  at  a  great  distance.  While  on  earth, 
He  saw  in  the  water  the  distant  fish  with  the 
piece  of  money  in  his  mouth.  He  saw  in  the  far- 
away village  the  colt  tied,  and  commanded  His 
disciples  to  get  it.  "Go  into  the  city,  and  there 
shall  meet  you  a  man  bearing  a  pitcher  of  water." 
(Mark  14;  13).  He  foresaw  in  distant  Jerusalem 
the  man  with  the  pitcher.  Yet,  at  that  time,  we 
understand  His  human  nature  in  physical  capacity 
was  simply  like  our  own.  He  did  not  do  this 
through  any  mere  human  power  of  vision.  But 
through  His  omniscient  divine  mind,  which  trans- 
mitted the  knowledge  to  His  human  intelligence. 
Unquestionably  He  must  have  that  same  power 
now.  Suppose  an  event  to  be  transpiring  in  the 
wilderness  beyond  the  reach  of  human  or  angelic 
ken.  The  glorified  Jesus  on  His  throne  must  be 
able  to  note  the  fall  of  the  pine,  the  spring  of  the 
wild  beast,  the  flight  and  song  of  the  bird,  the  rush 
and  thunder  of  the  cataract.  He  certainly  can  do 
this  by  the  activity  of  His  divine  Spirit.  That 
mind,  noticing  these  sights  and  sounds,  transmits 
the  knowledge  of  them  to  His  finite  spirit.     And 


158         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

we  cannot  determine  how  far  He  would  do  such 
things  merely  as  glorified  man;  and  how  far  as 
God,  His  divine  mind  revealing  to  His  human 
soul  the  visions  and  voices  of  beings  or  objects 
far  away. 

Very  probably  as  glorified  man  He  has  sensory 
powers  far  superior  to  those  He  had  as  natural 
man.  But  it  is  difficult  to  tell  to  what  extent  they 
are  superior,  or  at  what  point  the  glorified  human 
power  ends  and  the  divine  begins.  Hence  from 
what  the  Scripture  teaches  about  Him  alone,  we 
do  not  seem  to  reach  very  full  results. 

But,  in  another  way,  we  obtain  clues  and  sug- 
gestions. For  consider  the  imagery  which  de- 
scribes the  cherubim.  Each  had  a  human  face,  in- 
dicating human  intelligence,  feelings,  and  will;  then 
in  addition  an  eagle's  face,  indicating  celerity  of 
motion,  but  also  extraordinary  keenness  of  sight. 
These  celestial  spirits  are  described  as  full  of  eyes. 
"And  their  rings  were  full  of  eyes  round  about 
them  four."  (Ezek.  i;  i8).  "And  their  whole 
body,  and  their  backs,  and  their  hands,  and  their 
wings,  *  *  were  full  of  eyes  round  about"  *  *. 
(Ezek.  lo;  12).  So  in  Revelation,  in  the  descrip- 
tion of  the  living  creatures.  "In  the  midst  of  the 
throne  and  round  about  the  throne,  four  living 
creatures  full  of  eyes  before  and  behind."  (Rev. 
4;  6).  This  figurative  language  would  seem  to  in- 
dicate that  their  vision  covers  a  vast  horizon  with 
utmost  minuteness  of  detail.    Here  are  symboHcal 


OUR  POWER  OF  CELESTIAL  FIGHT.  159 

suggestions  that  these  finite  beings  of  the  other 
world  have  faculties  of  sight  superior  to  our  own 
in  its  present  state.  But  glorified  man  is  to  be 
higher  than  the  angels.  So  it  is  not  likely  that 
our  sense  of  seeing  will  be  inferior  to  theirs.  Says 
Dr.  Chas.  Hodge :  "Our  power  of  vision,  instead 
of  being  confined  to  the  range  of  a  few  hundred 
yards,  may  far  exceed  that  of  the  most  powerful 
telescope."     (System.  Theol.  III.  783). 

There  may  be  other  senses  of  which  at  present 
we  have  little  conception.  For  instance,  many  of 
the  lower  creatures  have  wonderful  power  of  de- 
termining location.  Some  domestic  animals, 
though  taken  many  miles  from  home  in  closed 
cages,  will  speedily  return  to  their  former  habita- 
tions. The  home-seeking  and  home-finding  in- 
stinct of  the  carrier  pigeon  is  familiar.  There  is 
a  faculty  which  man  lacks  now,  but  may  have  by 
and  by. 

The  angels  seem  to  be  pure  spirits,  without  ma- 
terial bodies  of  any  kind.  These  finite  spirits  are 
invisible,  just  as  the  infinite  Spirit  is  invisible.  We 
cannot  see  them.  And  we  cannot  locate  them, 
unless  by  some  extraordinary  means,  as  when  they 
make  such  manifestations  of  themselves  that  they 
seem  to  have  human  forms.  Yet  they  must  in 
some  way  be  able  to  recognize  one  another's  pres- 
ence, and  to  locate  one  another.  Here  is  a  sug- 
gestion of  some  sense  which  we  at  present  lack, 
but  may  have  later. 


160         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

When  God  "opened  the  eyes"  of  the  prophet's 
servant,  the  young  man  saw  the  mountain  "full  of 
horses  and  chariots  of  fire  round  about  Elisha." 
But  it  is  not  likely  the  servant  actually  saw  any 
horses  or  chariots  at  all.  Probably  this  was  a 
symbolic  manifestation  designed  to  teach  him  that 
angels  were  there  present  in  great  numbers  and 
with  great  powers.  But  as  God  symbolically 
"opened  the  eyes  of  the  young  man,"  bestowing 
through  them  wonderful  conceptions  not  pos- 
sessed before;  so,  in  the  future  life,  God  may  open 
both  the  eyes  and  all  the  other  senses,  giving 
them  higher,  keener,  and  finer  sensibilities.  We 
cannot  see  the  interior  of  an  opaque  liquid  or 
solid.  But  God  can  do  this.  Here  is  a  sugges- 
tion of  sensory  power  which  we  have  not  yet,  but 
may  by  and  by  attain. 

(2).  But  the  Glorified  Body  may  Possess,  in 
Other  Respects,  Powers  Superior  to  Those  It  Has 
at  Present. 

Consider  again  those  visions  of  the  cherubim. 
(Ezek.  i).  Each  had  also  the  face  of  an  ox,  and 
the  face  of  a  lion.  The  ox  is  prepared  for  sacri- 
fice. So  are  the  cherubim — in  spirit;  for  of  them 
no  sacrifice  can  be  required.  But  the  ox  is  also 
the  symbol  of  capacity  for  patient,  tireless  and 
mighty  toil.  Here  is  a  suggestion  of  like  might 
that  is  in  the  cherubim. 

And  the  lion  is  symbol  of  power  kinglier  still; 


OUR  POWER  OF  CELESTIAL  FLIGHT,  161 

intense,  terrible,  irresistible  in  its  puissant  play. 
Also  of  fearless  courage.  And  here  are  sugges- 
tions of  the  power  that  in  the  celestials  dwells,  so 
great  they  know  no  fear.  Even  the  ox  is  weak 
beside  the  lion,  and  goes  down  before  the  lion's 
paw.  But,  in  a  combat  between  a  lion  and  an 
angel,  what  would  issue?  We  see  the  outcome 
in  that  strife  between  the  lion  and  the  man,  when 
the  Spirit  of  God  was  upon  the  latter.  Samson 
"rent  him  as  he  would  rend  a  kid,  and  he  had  noth- 
ing in  his  hand.  (Judges  14;  6).  But  an  angel 
is  stronger  than  Samson.  In  a  contest  with  an 
angel,  how  then  would  a  lion  fare,  or  a  den  of 
lions? 

Angels  have  far  greater  power  than  men.  In 
opposition  to  an  angel,  how  would  any  number 
of  armed  men  come  out?  How  did  the  angel  im- 
press the  Roman  guards  about  Christ's  sepulchre? 
"His  countenance  was  like  lightning,  and  his  rai- 
ment white  as  snow :  and  for  fear  of  him  the  keep- 
ers did  shake  and  became  as  dead  men."  (Matt. 
28;  4).  Again,  "The  angel  of  the  Lord  went  out, 
and  smote  in  the  camp  of  the  Assyrians  an  hun- 
dred fourscore  and  five  thousand;  and  when  they 
arose  early  in  the  morning,  behold  they  were  all 
dead  corpses."  (II.  Kings  19;  35).  What  would 
the  art  of  man  avail  against  that  of  an  angel  ?  The 
apostles  had  been  put  into  the  common  prison. 
"But  the  angel  of  the  lord  by  night  opened  the 
prison  doors,  and  brought  them  forth."  And  when 


162         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

the  officers  went  to  the  prison,  "they  returned,  * 
saying.  The  prison  truly  found  we  shut  with  all 
safety,  and  the  keepers  standing  without  the  doors, 
but,  when  we  had  opened,  we  found  no  man  with- 
in." (Acts  5;  19-23).  The  Apostles  had  been  in 
some  way  brought  out  despite  the  keepers.  Peter 
was  in  prison,  "sleeping  between  two  soldiers, 
bound  with  two  chains;  and  the  keepers  before  the 
door  kept  the  prison.  And,  behold,  the  angel  of 
the  Lord  came  upon  Jiim,  and  a  light  shined  in 
the  prison."  Apparently  this  angel  has  power  to 
cause  light  to  shine.  Here  is  a  wonderful  thing. 
And  Peter's  "chains  fell  off  from  his  hands."  "The 
iron  gate  that  leadeth  into  the  city  *  opened  to 
them  of  its  own  accord."  Here  is  a  supernatural 
control  over  matter  also.  All  these  things  indi- 
cate that  those  beings  have  powers,  or  are  at- 
tended by  powers  superior  to  our  own. 

Clear-eyed  and  calm  are  those  servants  of  God 
in  the  angelic  hosts.  Nothing  ever  appears  to 
discomfit  or  disconcert  them.  No  angel  ever 
seems  a  particle  embarrassed  by  any  obstacle  or 
difficulty  that  confronts  him.  Yet  it  is  not  likely 
that  these  angels,  who  are  but  servants,  were 
made  by  Christ  with  powers  superior  to  those 
which  are  adopted  by  Himself  in  His  own  glorified 
body.  About  such  things  we  cannot  affirm,  but 
still  less  can  we  deny.  His  resurrection  body  cer- 
tainly had  strange,  wonderful,  and  supernatural 


OUR  POWER  OF  CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.  163 

endowments.     And  our  bodies  are  to  have  the 
same. 

(3).  And  the  Exercise  of  These  Supernal  Facul- 
ties Can  Never  be  Interrupted  Through  Any  Ad- 
verse Physical  Conditions. 

Though  not  dependent  upon  food,  the  glorified 
body  certainly  can  enjoy  food;  for  Christ  repeat- 
edly ate  before  His  disciples  after  His  resurrec- 
tion. (Luke  24;  35,  42,  43.  Acts  10;  41).  All  the 
imagery  of  Scripture  implies  that  the  saints  eat 
and  drink  in  the  City  of  God.  Christ  there  par- 
takes with  them  of  the  new  wine  of  the  kingdom. 
There  is  the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb.  There 
is  the  fruit  of  the  tree  of  life,  etc.  But  how  far 
these  expressions  are  symbolic  and  how  far  lit- 
eral, it  is  not  easy  to  determine. 

Yet  no  physical  appetite  or  afifection  seems  al- 
lowed to  become  painful.  "They  shall  hunger  no 
more,  neither  thirst  any  more;  neither  shall  the 
sun  light  on  them,  nor  any  heat.  For  the  Lamb 
which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne  shall  feed 
them,  and  shall  lead  them  unto  living  fountains  of 
waters."  (Rev.  7;  16,  17).  "Neither  shall  there 
be  any  more  pain."  (Rev.  21;  4).  In  their  tire- 
less activity  there  is  never  pausing  through  dis- 
ease, pain,  infirmity,  age,  or  sleep.  "Therefore 
are  they  before  the  throne  of  God,  and  serve  him 
day  and  night  in  his  temple."     (Rev.  7;  15). 

In  response  to  all  questions  about  that  resurrec- 


164         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

tion  body,  here  is  a  most  suggestive  and  compre- 
hensive principle.  Christ,  as  the  Redeemer  of 
mankind,  is  to  be  clothed  with  that  glorified  body- 
throughout  eternity.  It  promotes  His  honour  and 
His  pleasure  to  wear  it.  So  surely  there  can  be 
naught  unsatisfactory  about  a  body  which  is  to  be 
worn  to  everlasting  by  God  Himself.  Thus  we 
have  some  idea  of  the  wonderful  physical  basis  in 
connection  with  which  that  higher  life  is  to  pro- 
ceed forevermore. 

Still  studying  the  characteristics  or  powers 
which  Scripture  seems  plainly  to  reveal  as  belong- 
ing to  these  glorious  bodies,  and  now  replying  to 
objections  that  have  been  raised,  we  note 

a.  The  Insensibility  of  Celestial  Beings  to  the 
Influence  of  Cold. 

Of  course  there  is  at  times  intense  cold  orf 
earth.  Yet  the  teaching  of  Scripture  is,  that  the 
angels  continually  visit  us.  "Are  they  not  all  min- 
istering spirits  sent  forth  to  minister  for  them 
who  shall  be  heirs  of  salvation?"  (Heb.  i;  14).  As 
they  were  continually  about  God's  people  in  Bible 
times;  so,  though  we  see  them  not,  unquestion- 
ably they  are  about  us.  They  must  come  to  God's 
children  amid  Siberian  snows,  and  within  the  Arc- 
tic Circle.  But  climatic  influences  afifect  them  not. 
There  is  no  suggestion  that  they  ever  suffer, 
though  the  cold  be  keenest.  The  polar  frosts  are 
powerless  over  them. 


OUR  POWER  OF  CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.  165 

The  angels,  and  the  bodies  of  Enoch,  Elijah, 
Christ,  and  of  the  many  saints  that  came  out  of 
their  graves,  must,  while  passing  through  inter- 
planetary space,  have  been  exposed  to  intensest 
cold.  This  Flammarion  estimates  at  nearly  two 
hundred  and  seventy  degrees  (270°)  below  zero. 
Yet  there  is  not  the  slightest  evidence  that  they 
ever  were  affected  by  it.  Their  bodies  were  able 
to  endure  that  cold.  They  might  enter  any  polar 
twilight  without  fear.  But  our  bodies  shall  have 
like  temper.  Some  worlds  may  be  without  an  at- 
mosphere like  ours.  Neither  is  there  atmosphere 
like  ours  through  interplanetary  space.  Yet  on 
those  worlds,  and  in  that  space,  we  must  believe 
these  beings  freely  live  and  move.  And  there  we 
also  shall  be  able  to  do  the  same. 

b.  The  Insensibility  of  Celestial  Beings  to  the 
Influence  of  Heat. 

Concerning  this  the  Bible  contains  some  strik- 
ing suggestions.  After  the  angel  of  the  Lord  had 
appeared  to  him,  Manoah  "took  a  kid  with  a  meat 
offering,  and  ofifered  it  upon  a  rock  unto  the 
Lord;  and  the  angel  did  wonderously;  *  *  *  *  Pqj- 
it  came  to  pass,  when  the  flame  went  up  toward 
heaven  from  off  the  altar,  that  the  angel  of  the 
Lord  ascended  in  the  flame  of  the  altar."  (Judges 
13;  20).  The  flame  of  the  sacrifice  had  no  power 
to  injure  Him.  "And  Manoah  and  his  wife  looked 
on  it,  and  fell  on  their  faces  to  the  ground." 


166         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

When  Nebuchadnezzar  commanded  to  heat  the 
fiery  furnace  seven  times  hotter  than  it  was  wont 
to  be  heated,  and  the  mightiest  men  that  were  in 
his  army  bound  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abed- 
nego,  and  cast  them  into  that  furnace,  the  fire 
slew  the  men  who  took  up  the  Hebrew  children 
three.  But  the  victims  of  his  wrath  appeared  un- 
harmed in  the  furnace  fires.  And  with  them  was 
another  figure;  "and  the  form  of  the  fourth  is  like 
the  Son  of  God,"  or,  in  Revised  Version,  "like  a 
son  of  the  gods."  (Dan.  3:25).  If  this  figure  was 
Christ,  here  is  an  interesting  illustration  of  His 
ability  to  keep  His  disciples  unhurt  amid  intensest 
heat.  If  it  w^as  only  an  angel,  the  case  becomes 
still  stronger.  For  the  angel,  though  exposed  to 
the  greatest  heat  men  then  were  able  to  produce, 
Avas  himself  unharmed;  and  He  kept  the  Hebrew 
children  from  being  harmed.  The  fiery  furnace, 
kindled  in  hatred  of  God,  was  powerless  over 
them. 

Again,  in  Revelation  (Chap.  14;  18),  "Another 
angel  came  out  from  the  altar,  which  had  power 
over  fire;"  or,  "he  that  hath  power  over  fire."  And 
John  saw  "an  angel  standing  in  the  sun."  (Rev. 
19;  17).  The  intensest  heat  then  known  in  na- 
ture, affects  him  not.  He  withers  not  before  the 
sun's  fierce  flame.  And  we  too  may,  from  a  near 
viewpoint,  gaze  unharmed  upon  the  fires  of  any 
sun. 

Such  things  would  seem  to  indicate  that,  in  yon 


OUR  POWER  OF  CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.  167 

glorified  life,  our  abilities  to  endure  cold  and  heat, 
shall  surpass  those  we  possess  at  present. 

(4).  After  Christ's  Resurrection  His  Body- 
Plainly  had  Transcendent  Endowments;  Never 
Possessed  by  the  Highest  Animals,  and  Never 
Before  Exhibited  by  the  Body  of  Christ  Himself. 

a.    It  Could  Appear  and  Disappear  at  Pleasure. 

This  ability  to  appear  and  disappear  at  will, 
seems  characteristic  of  celestial  beings.  When  an 
angel  withstood  Balaam,  the  beast  the  prophet 
rode  beheld  that  spirit.  But  Balaam  saw  him  not. 
The  angel  appeared  in  vision  to  Daniel;  but  not 
to  any  of  those  about  him.  "And  I  Daniel  alone 
saw  the  vision;  for  the  men  that  were  with  me  saw 
not  the  vision.'  (Dan.  10;  1-9).  So  the  risen 
Christ  could  conceal  His  identity;  could  appear 
and  disappear.  When  Mary  was  at  the  sepulchre, 
"she  turned  herself  back,  and  saw  Jesus  standing, 
and  knew  not  that  it  was  Jesus."  (John  20;  14). 
A  little  later,  the  disciples  were  on  the  sea  of  Ti- 
berias. And  "when  the  morning  was  now  come, 
Jesus  stood  on  the  shore:  but  the  disciples  knew 
not  that  it  was  Jesus."  (John  21;  4).  Again,  when 
two  of  the  disciples  were  on  their  way  to  Emmaus, 
Jesus  walked  and  talked  with  them ;  but  they  knew 
Him  not.  "Then  their  eyes  were  opened,  and  they 
knew  him;  and  he  vanished  out  of  their  sight." 


168        THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

(Luke  24;  31).  So,  before  Damascus,  those  with 
Saul  saw  no  man.  Only  Saul  saw  Jesus.  "The 
men  which  journeyed  with  me  stood  speechless, 
hearing  a  voice,  but  seeing  no  man."  (Acts  9;  7). 
It  was  something  entirely  contrary  to  the  ordi- 
nary laws  of  nature  that  Christ  should  be  able  to 
vanish  out  of  sight  of  His  disciples  so  quickly  their 
eyes  could  not  follow  Him;  that  His  body  should 
be  plainly  visible  to  one  person,  but  not  to  others 
close  by. 

And  surely  the  glorified  bodies  of  the  other 
saints  who  were  translated  or  have  already  risen 
from  the  dead,  must  have  the  same  power  to  ap- 
pear and  disappear  at  will,  so  far  as  our  eyes  of 
flesh  are  concerned.  They  can  do  this,  although 
they  do  it  not.  But  we  would  hardly  be  willing 
to  believe  that  a  group  of  saints,  in  their  risen 
bodies,  could  be  near  one  another,  without  inter- 
vening obstacles,  and  could  remain  invisible  to 
one  another.  And,  if  they  can  see  one  another 
at  all  times,  they  have  a  power  of  vision  surpass- 
ing ours.  For  we  confessedly  could  not  see  their 
glorious  bodies  at  all  times,  even  if  we  knew  that 
they  were  here  among  us.  This  superior  gift  of, 
vision  we  would  argue  that  they  must  possess. 

Of  Christ's  glorified  body  we  notice  next 

b.   It  Had  the  Power  of  Unobstructed  Flight. 

When  the  disciples  were  assembled  in  the  house, 
with  the  doors  closed  for  fear  of  the  Jews,  Christ 


OUR  POWER  OF  CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.  169 

suddenly  appeared  among  them.  Twice — on  two 
separate  occasions,  eight  days  apart,  when  the 
disciples  were  assembled,  with  doors  closed,  Jesus 
suddenly  appeared,  and  stood  in  the  midst.  (John 
20;  19  and  26).  He  apparently  had  come  through 
the  closed  door,  or  closed  window,  or  solid  wall. 
And  in  Palestine  the  walls  were  made  of  stone. 
If  even  these  things  did  not  impede  Him,  it  would 
seem  easy  to  believe  that  He  might  experience 
no  great  resistance  in  passing  through  the  atmos- 
phere skyward  to  His  throne. 

Later  they  saw  Him  rise  above  the  Mount  of 
Olives  into  the  blue  empyrean.  Plainly  gravita- 
tion did  not  hold  Him  down  as  it  does  us. 

But,  if  He  actually  disappeared  from  the  com- 
pany of  His  disciples  so  suddenly  their  eyes  could 
not  follow  Him — so  He  is  described  as  "vanish- 
ing away;"  if  twice  He  could  go  through  window, 
door  ,or  wall,  when  all  were  closed;  if  above  the 
Mount  of  Olives,  regardless  of  gravitation,  He 
could  ascend  into  the  air,  at  the  commencement  of 
His  journey  heavenward,  how  is  there  any  incon- 
sistency in  believing  that  He  can  continue  to  move 
in  the  same  manner,  and  with  incredible  celerity  of 
flight? 

How  did  He  do  all  these  things?  There  prob- 
ably are  higher  laws  which  as  yet  we  do  not  un- 
derstand, but  to  which  these  laws  of  our  present 
nature,  as  we  know  them,  are  subordinate.  Those 
glorified   beings   live   according   to   these   higher 


170        THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

laws.  The  laws  which  hold  us,  bind  them  not. 
From  these  present  limitations,  our  glorified 
bodies  will  be  forever  free. 

c.  Great  Celerity  of  Motion  is  Possessed  by  the 
Celestials. 

The  dreams  and  stories  of  classical  antiquity  and 
of  the  Orient  show  there  is  nothing  at  all  repug- 
nant to  human  reason  in  the  idea  of  extraordinary 
rapidity  of  movement  on  the  part  of  finite  intelli- 
gences. But,  in  the  Arabian  tales,  what  stories 
of  miraculous  celerity  in  flight,  could  surpass  or 
equal  the  Scripture  teachings  about  God's 
spiritual  beings  in  those  higher  ranges  of  exist- 
ence! 

For  consider  some  things  in  the  Bible  which 
plainly  reveal  these  possibilities  of  rapid  motion 
by  the  glorious  spirits  of  the  other  world. 

The  general  tenor  of  the  Scriptural  references 
to  this  subject  implies  such  celerity  of  flight.  Note 
how  the  Psalmist  describes  the  majestic  motion 
of  the  Lord.  And,  as  this  was  a  case  in  which 
the  Deity  is  represented  as  appearing,  it  must 
have  been  the  second  person  of  the  Trinity — 
Christ.  "He  rode  upon  a  cherub  and  did  fly:  he 
did  fly  upon  the  wings  of  the  wind."     (Ps.  i8;  lo). 

Though  the  language  may  be  merely  figurative, 
angelic  beings,  as  we  have  already  seen,  are  rep- 
resented as  having  wings,  and  using  them  for  loco- 


OUR  POWER  OF  CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.  171 

motion,  Ezekiel,  in  his  vision,  seemed  to  hear  the 
wings  of  the  cherubim.  He  says,  "When  they 
went,  I  heard  the  noise  of  their  wings,  Hke  the 
noise  of  great  waters."  (Ezekiel  i ;  24).  And  the 
sound  of  the  cherubim's  wings  was  heard  even  to 
the  outer  court;  as  the  voice  of  the  Almighty  God 
when  he  speaketh."  (Ezek.  10;  5).  John  says, 
"And  I  beheld,  and  heard  an  angel  flying  through 
the  midst  of  heaven,  saying  with  a  loud  voice," 
etc.  (Rev.  8;  13).  "And  I  saw  another  angel  fly 
in  the  midst  of  heaven,  having  the  everlasting  gos- 
pel to  preach  unto  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth, 
and  to  every  nation,  and  kindred,  and  tongue,  and 
people."     (Rev.  14;  6). 

But,  in  that  higher  state,  it  seems  to  be  no  more 
remarkable  for  an  angel  to  be  flying  than  in  this 
world  it  is  for  a  man  to  be  walking.  Here  it  is 
natural  to  walk,  as  Christ  walked.  But,  in  the 
higher  life,  it  is  as  natural  to  fly,  as  it  was  for 
Christ  to  rise  above  the  Mount  of  Olives. 

The  cherubim  Ezekiel  saw  had  each  four  wings. 
(Chap.  I ;  6).  John  had  a  vision  of  four  living 
creatures  about  the  throne  of  God.  (Rev.  4;  8). 
One  of  these  was  like  a  flying  eagle,  (v.  7).  Each 
of  these  four  living  creatures  had  six  wings.  Sug- 
gestive of  most  extraordinary  powers  of  locomo- 
tion. Whether  they  were  symbolical  or  literal; 
their  meaning  cannot  be  mistaken.  They  imply 
superhuman  powers  of  motion  through  space. 
"And  the  fifth  angel  sounded,  and  I  saw  a  star  fall' 


172         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

from  heaven  unto  the  earth :  and  to  him  was  given 
the  key  to  the  bottomless  pit."  (Rev.  9;  i).  Here 
an  angel's  motion  from  Heaven  to  earth,  is  repre- 
sented like  that  of  a  shooting  star. 

Shall  we  have  wings?  No.  The  Bible  teaches 
just  the  opposite.  Christ  never  is  represented  as 
winged.  Neither  the  returned  Samuel,  Moses, 
Elijah,  nor  any  other  human  being  from  the  other 
world  appears  in  Scripture,  in  any  case,  as  having 
wings.  Yet  ours  is  to  be  a  winged  life.  The  Bible 
attributes  to  Christ  and  His  saints  capacities  for 
motion  superior  to  those  of  any  living  creature 
that  has  wings.  For  these  latter  beings  appear  as 
requiring  wings  for  locomotion.  But  the  glorified 
Jesus  and  His  people  need  them  not.  They  can 
fly  without  wings.  Their  endowments  in  this  re- 
spect are  impliedly  superior  to  those  of  cherubim 
and  seraphim.  And  the  manner  in  which  our 
glorified  bodies  move,  is  illustrated  by  that  in 
which  Christ's  glorious  person  went  up  from  the 
slopes  of  Olivet  to  Heaven,  then  afterward  came 
and  went  as  He  repeatedly  reappeared  on  earth. 

And  there  are  some  other  points  in  the  Bible 
whose  bearing  upon  this  subject  seems  unmistak- 
ably clear.  Lazarus  of  Bethany  died  a  natural 
death,  like  that  of  any  other  believer.  And  we 
are  bound  to  assume  that  his  spirit  went  at  once 
into  Heaven.  But,  in  four  days,  that  soul  was  in 
its  body  again.     So,  in  not  over  four  days,  the 


OUR  POWER  OF  CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.  173 

spirit  of  Lazarus  must  have  gone  from  earth  to 
the  heavenly  city,  and  returned  again. 

But  this  does  not  suggest  the  true  measure  of 
rapidity  in  that  heavenly  flight.  We  must  advance 
beyond  this.  Christ  died  Friday  afternoon  at 
three  o'clock.  But  early  the  first  day  of  the  week 
He  had  risen.  From  three  o'clock  Friday  after- 
noon to  three  o'clock  the  next  Sabbath  morning,  is 
only  thirty-six  hours.  Within  thirty-six  hours  He 
had  made  the  journey  to  the  distant  Paradise,  and 
returned  to  earth. 

But  this  does  not  show  the  limit  to  that  coming 
celerity  of  flight.  The  Jewish  day  began  at  6.00 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  ended  at  6.00  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon.  As  just  noted,  Christ  died  about 
3.00  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  But,  before  He 
died,  He  said  to  the  penitent  thief,  "To-day  shalt 
thou  be  with  me  in  paradise."  But  the  day  closed 
three  hours  later.  Therefore,  between  3.00  o'clock 
and  6.00,  i.  e.,  within  three  hours,  Christ's  spirit 
must  have  made  that  journey  to  the  far-off  New 
Jerusalem.  And  the  penitent  thief  made  the  jour- 
ney with  him.    He  also  had  reached  that  holy  city. 

Is  Christ — the  Deity — limited  in  speed  of  mo- 
tion? Did  it  require  a  long  and  weary  journey 
to  regain  His  throne  above?  Of  Christ's  ascent 
from  Olivet,  one  evangelist  says  (Mark  18;  19), 
"So  then  after  the  Lord  had  spoken  unto  them, 
he  was  received  up  into  heaven,  and  sat  on  the 
right  hand  of  God."    It  is  described,  as  if  it  were 


174         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

an  almost  instantaneous  thing;  as  if,  immediately 
after  the  words  were  out  of  his  mouth,  He  was 
again  in  Heaven.  Another  evangelist  says  (Luke 
24;  51),  "While  he  blessed  them,  he  was  parted 
from  them,  and  carried  up  into  heaven."  The  Re- 
vised Version  reads,  "While  he  blessed  them,  he 
parted  from  them,  and  was  carried  up  into 
heaven."  Mark  that.  While  He  blessed  them, 
He  was  carried  up  into  Heaven.  As  if,  almost 
while  the  echoes  of  the  blessing  were  still  ringing 
in  their  ears;  He  was  back  in  His  heavenly  place. 
Though  we  must  not  strain  their  meaning,  these 
passages  seem  to  favor  this  idea. 

Germane  to  this  line  of  investigation  is  that  text 
in  Acts  (Chap.  8;  39),  after  Philip  had  baptized 
the  eunuch.  "When  they  were  come  up  out  of 
the  water,  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  caught  away 
Philip,  that  the  eunuch  saw  him  no  more."  Here 
was  another  case  of  instantaneous  motion. 

Now,  however  far  from  the  celestial  city  our 
spirits  may  range  afterward,  the  Bible  indicates 
that,  upon  departing  from  earth,  the  souls  of 
saints  pass  directly  on  to  Heaven.  For,  when 
Christ  left  earth,  "He  was  received  up  into  heaven, 
and  sat  on  the  right  hand  of  God." 

When  He  died  at  the  crucifixion,  it  was  the 
same.  As  we  have  just  seen,  He  said  to  the 
penitent  thief,  "To-day  shalt  thou  be  with  me  in 
paradise."  In  like  manner,  "The  beggar  died,  and 
was  carried  by  the  angels  into  Abraham's  bosom." 


OUR  POWER  OF  CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.  175 

(Luke  i6;  22).  Abraham's  bosom,  paradise,  the 
New  Jerusalem,  Heaven,  all  mean  one  and  the 
same  thing.  So  we  see  Christ  and  the  penitent 
thief,  the  angels  and  the  beggar,  all  went  straight 
to  this  place.  And,  if  Christ  and  the  penitent  thief 
accomplished  the  journey  within  three  hours  at 
longest,  then  the  angels  and  the  beggar  presum- 
ably did  the  same. 

Now  remember  Christ's  raising  of  Lazarus,  of 
the  widow's  son,  and  of  the  ruler's  daughter.  In 
each  case.  His  words  were,  "I  say  unto  thee, 
arise."  And  when  Peter  raised  Tabitha,  he  said, 
"Tabitha,  arise."  As  Lazarus  and  the  widow's  son 
had  been  some  time  dead,  their  spirits  may  not 
have  been  at  that  moment  In  Heaven.  They  may 
have  come  nearer  to  earth,  or  gone  farther  away. 
But  the  ruler's  daughter  and  Tabitha  had  just 
died.  It  would  seem  most  reasonable  to  believe 
their  spirits  were  now  in  the  celestial  city.  But, 
as  the  word  was  spoken,  those  spirits  returned 
from  their  far-distant  journey.  Instantaneous 
thing ! 

Corroborative  in  its  teachings  is  the  case  of 
Samuel,  as  he  appears  in  the  cave  at  Endor.  Saul 
has  said  to  the  witch,  "Bring  me  up  Samuel." 
Though  not  the  witch,  but  God,  brings  him  there, 
Samuel  immediately  is  present.  But  his  soul  had 
been  dwelling  in  glory  in  the  other  world.  He 
may  have  been  anywhere  else  in  the  universe; 
but,  in  the  absence  of  evidence  to  the  contrary,  we 


176         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

must  believe  he  was  in  Heaven.  Evangelical  be- 
lievers all  say  he  was  in  Heaven.  As  a  matter  of 
fact,  he  may  have  been  much  farther  off  than 
Heaven.  Yet,  within  a.  few  moments,  at  longest, 
he  has  made  the  journey  from  Heaven  back  to 
earth.  So  with  the  spirit  of  the  child  Elijah  raised 
from  the  dead,  and  the  child  Elisha  restored  to 
life.  We  must  hold  these  infant  spirits  had  gone 
to  Heaven.     But  those  spirits  instantly  return. 

Mark  says,  "Ye  shall  see  the  Son  of  man  sitting 
on  the  right  hand  of  power,  and  coming  in  the 
clouds  of  heaven."  (Chap.  14;  62).  Then  con- 
sider the  language  with  which  Paul  describes  the 
resurrection.  (I.  Cor.  15;  52).  "We  shall  not  all 
sleep,  but  we  shall  all  be  changed,  in  a  moment, 
in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  at  the  last  trump,  *  *  * 
for  the  dead  shall  be  raised  incorruptible,  and  we 
shall  be  changed."  Again  he  says  (I.  Thess.  4; 
16-17),  "The  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first;  then 
we  which  are  alive  and  remain  shall  be  caught  up 
together  with  them  in  the  clouds  to  meet  the 
Lord  in  the  air." 

O'er  all  the  surface  of  the  earth,  and  from  all 
its  seas,  the  uncounted  billions  of  the  dead  shall 
be  raised  up.  Next  all  believers  then  living  shall 
receive  their  glorified  bodies;  not  by  death,  but 
just  by  change.  All  this  is  done  "in  a  moment," 
in  less  than  a  moment,  "in  the  twinkling  of  an 
eye."  Next,  from  the  Arctic  Pole  to  the 
Equator,   from   Equator   to   Antarctic   Pole,   the 


OUR  POWER  OF  CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.  177 

glorified  saints  must  instantly  assemble  at  the  spot 
where  Christ  appears.  For  all  the  dead  who  have 
been  raised,  and  all  the  living  who  have  been 
changed,  shall  be  "caught  up  together  in  the 
clouds,  to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air." 

The  three  things,  the  resurrection  of  the  dead, 
the  change  of  the  living,  and  the  rapture  of  all  to- 
gether to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air;  seem  to  be 
presented  practically  as  one  simultaneous  scene. 
Here  is  a  plain,  prophetic  intimation  of  the  extra- 
ordinary rapidity  of  movement  to  be  enjoyed  by 
the  countless  hosts.  Such  prospective  celerity  of 
flight  must  be  conceded.  There  is  no  escape  from 
it.  This  seems  to  be  the  simple,  unmistakable 
teaching  of  the  Word  of  God. 

How  is  this  celerity  of  movement  rendered  pos- 
sible? We  answer  with  a  question.  How  did  the 
glorified  Jesus  rise  from  Olivet  to  Heaven? 
Though  His  human  person  occupied  but  a  small 
portion  of  space,  His  divine  presence  and  power 
are  everywhere.  At  His  ascension  that  divine 
power  raised  His  human  body,  so  it  sped  swiftly 
from  earth  to  His  throne  above.  That  same  divine 
power  transports  His  glorified  human  body  at  will 
through  any  portion  of  His  domains.  This  seems 
to  be  the  explanation. 

Perhaps  it  is  in  this  way  that  angelic  beings  and 
disembodied  spirits  move. 

Exactly  so  Enoch  and  Elijah  were  translated. 
When,  at  the  resurrection,  we  receive  our  glorified 


178         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

bodies,  and  are  caught  up  into  the  air,  evidently 
it  is  by  divine  power.  Presumably  the  saints  will 
be  enabled  to  move  thereafter  by  that  same  means. 
The  divine  power  transports  them  everywhither 
as  they  will.  As  regards  our  physical  life  in  the 
world  to  come;  literally,  in  a  sense  which  is  so 
profound  it  rarely  is  suspected,  yet  which  lies  upon 
the  very  surface  of  the  words,  **In  him  we  live,  and 
move,  and  have  our  being." 

And  all  these  things  which  are  presented  in 
Scripture,  as  cold  or  glowing  matters  of  fact,  are 
entirely  in  accord  with  what,  upon  general  princi- 
ples of  reasoning,  we  would  expect  to  be  the  case. 

When  Christ's  risen  body  went  up  from  Olivet 
to  Heaven,  at  the  commencement  of  His  glorified 
state,  did  He  grow  faint?  Was  there  any  hint  of 
weariness?  Surely  this  could  not  have  been  the 
case  with  the  Son  of  God.  When  He  came  back 
to  meet  Saul  of  Tarsus,  and  shone  radiant  before 
him,  was  Christ  at  all  exhausted  by  the  journey? 
And,  when  He  reentered  Heaven,  did  He  arrive 
there  in  the  least  fatigued  by  travel  o'er  a  long 
and  toilsome  way?  Surely  He  traversed  that  dis- 
tance without  lassitude.  Of  those  who  attain  that 
life,  we  read,  "They  shall  hunger  no  more,  neither 
thirst  any  more."  (Rev.  7;  17).  Whatever  they 
do,  whether  they  rest,  or  toil,  or  sweep  through 
infinite  space,  they  can  know  nothing  of  physical 
fatigue.  And  He  went  at  a  rate  of  swiftness  en- 
tirely satisfactory  to   Himself,  as  rapidly  as  He 


OUR  POWER  OF  CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.  179 

desired  to  go.  We  are  compelled  to  believe  it 
was  with  ineffable  celerity.  But  we  too  shall  jour- 
ney with  that  same  rate  of  speed. 

Light  flies  186,500  miles  a  second. 

To  bring  out  more  clearly  the  possibilities  of  the 
case,  imagine  a  distance  so  great,  light  would  re- 
quire 12,000  years  to  cross  it.  There  are  worlds 
so  far  away  in  space,  that  a  sunbeam  leaving  them 
before  Adam  was  created,  would  not  have  half 
reached  us  yet.  Will  any  one  dare  afifirm  the 
glorified  body  of  Christ  would  need  12^000  years 
to  compass  it?  Perhaps  He  could  do  it  in  1,000 
years.  Or  100  years.  Or  one  year.  Or  in  less 
time.  Here  is  a  matter  about  which  we  dare  not 
limit  Him.  When  we  attempt  to  determine  the 
rate  at  which  the  glorified  body  of  the  Son  of  God 
may  course  through  space,  we  find  ourselves 
obliged  to  concede  more  and  more  to  the  theory 
of  almost  unthinkable  velocity. 

Now  suppose  the  Scripture  were  deliberately 
seeking  to  convey  the  idea  of  almost  inconceivable 
celerity  in  motion,  what  language  would  it  use? 
Could  it  employ  any  stronger  than  appears  in  some 
passages  in  which  rapidity  of  locomotion  alto- 
gether superhuman  is  attributed  to  beings  of  the 
other  world? 

Luke  says  (10;  18),  "I  beheld  Satan  as  hghtning 
fall  from  heaven."  Or,  in  the  Revised  Version, 
"I  beheld  Satan  falling  as  lightning  from  heaven." 
Here  is  the  flight  of  merely  a  lost  spirit.     Daniel 


180         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

writes  (Chap.  9;  21),  'The  man  Gabriel,  whom  I 
had  seen  in  the  vision  at  the  beginning,  being 
caused  to  fly  swiftly,  touched  me  about  the  time 
of  the  evening  oblation."  But  the  Hebrew  means, 
"being  caused  to  fly  like  lightning."*  There  is 
ground  for  thinking  that  Gabriel  left  Heaven  after 
Daniel's  prayer  had  been  begun.  "At  the  begin- 
ning of  thy  supplications  the  commandment  came 
forth,  and  I  am  come  to  shew  thee."  (verse  23). 
Here  is  further  suggestion  of  the  celerity  of  Ga- 
briel's flight.  And,  in  Ezekiel's  vision,  "The  living 
creatures  ran  and  returned  as  the  appearance  of  a 
flash  of  lightning."     (Ezek.  i;  14). 

Where  the  celestial  beings  are  described  as 
winged,  it  may  be  said,  "Their  wings  were  symboli- 
cal." "These  were  rhetorical  expressions."  Very 
good.  But  what  idea  were  they  designed  to  con- 
vey? Surely  that  of  startling  and  ineffable  swift- 
ness of  flight.  The  objector  continues,  "It  may  be 
said  of  chariots  that  they  'run  like  lightnings;'  of  a 
missile,  'His  arrow  shall  go  forth  as  the  light- 
ning.' "  This  would  simply  mean  the  greatest 
speed  possible  for  chariots  and  arrows.  In  those 
cases  the  figure  would  have  a  limited  meaning 
from  the  very  nature  of  the  things  which  it  ex- 
plains. 

But  there  is  another  side.  This  language  is  ex- 
pressive of  the  greatest  quickness  of  motion  of 
which  men  at  that  time  had  any  knowledge.  There 

•  See  Lange'e  Commentary  on  this  passage. 


OUR  POWER  OF  CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.  181 

was  no  illustration  or  type  of  speed  then  known, 
which  could  convey  the  idea  of  greater  celerity  or 
despatch.  And,  with  regard  to  the  motion  of 
spiritual  beings,  it  is  used  at  least  three  times  in 
the  Bible.  They  moved  "Hke  Hghtning."  And 
surely  it  was  designed  to  express  this  very  idea — 
that  these  glorious  beings  have  powers  of  motion 
ineffably  surpassing  any  possessed  by  mortals  here 
on  earth. 

But,  when  Christ  bestowed  on  the  celestials 
such  gifts  of  flight,  did  He  endow  those  subordi- 
nate creatures  with  capacities  for  motion  greater 
than  are  now  enjoyed  by  the  glorified  body  of  the 
Son  of  God  Himself?  Surely  not.  Unlike  the 
cherubim,  who  fly  with  resounding  wings,  Christ, 
having  higher  powers  of  locomotion  than  they, 
rose  without  wings  from  Olivet,  and  soared  away 
into  the  sky.  So  we  are  bound  to  believe  His 
glorious  body  must  be  able  to  fly  with  a  velocity 
equal  or  superior  to  any  exhibited  by  these  other 
beings  to  whom  allusion  has  been  made. 

But  to  us  shall  be  given  endowments  like  His 
own.  "It  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we  shall  be, 
but  we  know  that,  when  he  shall  appear,  we  shall 
be  like  him,  for  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is."  (I. 
John  3;  2).  Here  is  a  promise  that  we  shall  be 
like  Him  in  spirit.  Again  He  "shall  change  our  vile 
body,  that  it  may  be  fashioned  hke  unto  his  glori- 
fied body,  according  to  the  working  whereby  he  is 
able    even    to    subdue    all   things    unto   himself." 


182         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

(Phil.  3;  21).  Here  is  a  promise  that  we  shall  be 
like  Him  in  person.  And  this  involves  ineffable 
celerity  of  motion.  Says  Dr.  Charles  Hodge : 
'*We  may  be  able  hereafter  to  pass  with  the  ve- 
locity of  hght  or  of  thought  itself  from  one  part 
of  the  universe  to  another.'     (System.    Theology, 

in.  783)- 

As  the  Bible  teaches  that  the  spirit  lives,  when 
for  a  season  separated  from  the  body;  so  it  shows 
that  the  disembodied  spirit  can  cross  the  space 
between  earth  and  the  distant  Heaven  with  aston- 
ishing rapidity  of  flight.  As  it  declares  that  the 
spirit  shall  reenter  the  risen  body,  so  it  indicates 
that  this  glorious  body  shall  have  capacity  for  mo- 
tion almost  beyond  our  present  understanding. 

The  Scriptures  no  more  certainly  teach  the 
resurrection  of  the  body  to  the  life  everlasting, 
than  they  teach  that,  in  such  unending  life,  the 
saints  will  have  amazing  abilities  of  locomotion 
through  space.  For,  as  already  observed,  though 
they  will  not  have  wings,  theirs  is  to  be  a  winged 
life. 

It  is  no  more  rational  and  Scriptural  to  beheve 
in  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  and  its  reunion  with 
the  resurrection  body,  than  to  believe  that  the 
soul,  both  before  and  after  it  enters  the  glorified 
body,  will  have  these  extraordinary  endowments 
for  cosmic  travel.  And  there  are  few  things  about 
the  coming  physical  life,  more  wonderful  and  fas- 


OUR  POWER  OP  CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.  183 

cinating  than  these  almost  hmitless  possibiUties 
of  celestial  flight. 

Does  this  startle  the  reader?  Is  he  staggered 
and  overcome  by  such  "a  dream?"  But  it  is  no 
dream.  It  is  the  logical  conclusion  to  which  we 
are  irresistibly  led  by  unmistakable  teachings  of 
inspiration.  These  positions  seem  incontestable. 
That  we  shall,  in  the  future  state,  have  such  abili- 
ties to  traverse  the  vast  distance  between  Heaven 
and  earth,  must  be  admitted.  From  this  there  is 
no  possibility  of  escape. 

Between  Heaven  and  earth,  the  pathways  of  the 
ether  sea  are  populous  forever  with  the  holy  ones 
of  God.  In  Jacob's  vision  of  the  ladder,  or,  more 
properly,  the  stairway,  upon  which  the  angels  of 
God  were  ascending  and  descending,  while  God 
stood  at  the  top,  we  have  a  simple  preliminary 
presentation  of  this  idea,  of  a  constant  passage 
to  and  fro  of  celestial  beings  between  earth  and 
Heaven.  Then  came  the  later  prediction:  "Here- 
after ye  shall  see  heaven  open,  and  the  angels  of 
God  ascending  and  descending  upon  the  Son  of 
man."  (John  i;  51).  This  is  understood  to  mean 
that,  In  connection  with  the  ministry  of  Christ,  this 
ministry  of  angels  continues  still.  God's  angels 
are  passing  thus  forever  between  earth  and 
Heaven. 

With  them  human  souls  ascend,  being  con- 
ducted by  them  to  the  heavenly  courts.  For  we 
read  that  "The  beggar  died,  and  was  carried  by 


184         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE3. 

angels  to  Abraham's  bosom."  (Luke  i6;  22).  The 
meanest  saint  shall  have  celestial  convoy_s  to  guide 
him  to  the  city  of  his  God.  And,  like  them,  these 
human  spirits  unquestionably  seem  to  return  from 
Heaven  to  earth.  We  have  already  enumerated 
many  instances  of  ascended  human  spirits  that 
came  back  to  earth  at  special  times.  Probably 
also  spirits  of  other  departed  saints  return  to  earth 
to  render  angelic  ministrations  here.  "Are  they 
not  all  ministering  spirits,  sent  forth  to  minister 
unto  them  that  shall  be  heirs  of  salvation?"  (Heb. 
i;  14).  The  bright  spirits  of  angels,  who  were  al- 
ways angels,  and  of  c^ngels  who  once  were  men, 
pass  forever  to  and  fro. 

In  the  language  with  which  the  Apostle  de- 
scribes the  location  of  the  heavenly  city,  when  he 
says  Christ  "ascended  up  far  above  all  heavens" 
(Eph.  4;  10),  he  places  it  above  the  myriad  starry 
worlds  which  we  see  nearest  in  the  vaults  o'erhead. 
When  Christ  was  on  His  way  to  that  celestial  city, 
He  swept  past  hosts  of  radiant  orbs  about  Him 
on  every  side.  So,  in  journeying  between  Heaven 
and  earth,  the  flying  spirits  must  pass  many  a 
silvery  star  and  shining  sun.  That  those  spirits 
may  alight,  to  tarry  upon  one  and  another  of 
these  orbs,  is  evident.  The  concession  that  they 
can  journey  between  earth  and  Heaven,  carries 
with  it  the  admission  that  they  can  visit  many 
flaming  worlds  that  lie  directly  on  their  airy  route. 
For  there  is  no  possible  direction  from  the  earth 


OUR  POWER  OF  CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.  185 

along  which  these  worlds  do  not  appear.  See 
where,  in  the  sunlight  far  up  o'er  Cotopaxi's 
slopes,  yon  condor  wheels  and  plays.  Can  that 
bird  move  only  on  a  general  line  between  some 
given  spot  on  earth  and  the  cliff  on  which  his  eyrie 
rests?  He  has  "the  whole  wide  air  of  heaven  in 
which  to  make  his  flight."  So  immortal  spirits  are 
not  confined  to  motion  in  one  straight  line  be- 
tween earth  and  Heaven. 

If  they  have  power  to  go  directly  from  earth  to 
Heaven,  and  return  again,  journeying  through 
this  almost  illimitable  distance,  then  they  can  jour- 
ney just  as  far  in  other  directions,  at  right  angles 
with  this,  or  at  any  other  angle.  Or  they  can 
go  from  earth,  in  a  direction  exactly  opposite 
from  that  toward  Heaven.  They  can  go  from 
earth  in  any  and  every  direction  whatever — in  as 
many  directions  as  there  are  radii  diverging  from 
the  centre  of  a  sphere.  Or,  when  they  are  in 
Heaven,  they  can  go  from  Heaven  in  exactly  the 
opposite  direction  from  the  earth.  They  can  jour- 
ney away  from  Heaven,  in  any  direction  whatever; 
in  as  many  directions  as  there  are  radii  diverging 
from  the  centre  of  the  sphere.  They  can  go  to- 
ward any  and  every  conceivable  portion  of  the  uni- 
verse. And  when,  in  any  direction,  they  have 
gone  a  distance  equal  to  that  between  earth  and 
Heaven,  or  a  greater  distance,  then,  from  that 
point,  they  can  go  in  as  many  other  directions  as 
there  are  radii  diverging  from  the  centre  of  a 


186         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

sphere.  If  they  have  ability  to  do  what  the  Bible 
represents  angels,  and  the  disembodied  spirits  of 
believers,  and  the  glorified  bodies  of  Christ  and 
others,  as  having  done;  then  they  have  power  to 
go  in  any  direction,  and  to  any  distance. 

The  resurrection  body  is  immortal.  It  cannot 
be  pierced  or  injured  by  accident  or  enemy.  Had 
Jesus  delivered  Himself  to  the  Jews  a  second  time, 
they  could  not  have  killed  him.  As  before  His 
resurrection  He  had  walked  upon  the  surface  of 
the  waves,  so  perhaps  after  it  He  could  stroll  upon 
the  bottom  of  the  deep.  He  could  with  impunity 
explore  Arctic  frost  and  ice.  As  the  celestial 
guardian  of  the  Hebrew  children  was  unhurt  in 
the  fiery  furnace,  so  presumably  the  glorified  body 
of  Christ  could  take  liberties  with  blazing  lava  or 
volcanic  flames  that  would  be  impossible  to  us. 
As  the  snowy  sea-gulls  sail  above  the  billows, 
so  could  Christ's  body  above  any  angry  sea  on  any 
orb.  As  o'er  the  Andes  the  condor  wantons  in 
the  blue;  so  could  Christ's  glorified  body  soar 
above  any  crag,  then  dart  away  among  the  stars. 
Its  possibilities  are  so  exceedingly  great  and  won- 
derful we  dare  not  formulate  them,  yet  we  scarce 
dare  suggest  a  limit.  But  our  capabilities  of  mo- 
tion shall  be  like  His. 

No  other  creature,  in  the  ocean,  upon  the  earth, 
or  in  the  air,  has  powers  of  locomotion  to  be  com- 
pared with  those  which  the  Scriptures  assign  to 
angels  and  the  white-souled  saints.     The  proposi- 


OUR  POWER  OF  CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.  187 

tion  that  we  can  have  no  physical  possibiUty  of 
journeying  from  one  heavenly  body  to  another, 
cannot  for  an  instant  stand.  We  shall  be  able  to 
float  between  Saturn  and  his  rings  and  moons;  to 
move  between  Jupiter  and  his  five  circling  satel- 
lites. As  the  watchers  and  the  holy  ones  from 
Heaven  are  able,  at  any  portion  of  God's  empire, 
to  check  their  flight;  so  we,  poising  in  the  ether 
sea,  shall  have  power  to  look  calmly  and  at  will 
upon  any  object  on  any  star  or  any  sun. 

Ruskin  has  described  the  migratory  storks  and 
swallows,  coming  from  North  African  coasts 
across  the  Mediterranean  to  European  shores.  He 
portrays  what  lies  before  them,  as  they  "lean  upon 
the  Sirocco  wind."  But  the  language  with  which 
he  pictures  their  steady  course,  and  the  panorama 
developing  before  them,  might  with  equal  pro- 
priety be  used  to  depict  the  experiences  of  these 
celestial  intelligences  of  which  we  have  been 
speaking.  "Let  us,  for  a  moment,  try  to  raise 
ourselves  even  above  the  level  of  their  flight,  and 
imagine  the  Mediterranean  lying  beneath  us  like 
an  irregular  lake,  and  all  its  ancient  promontories 
sleeping  in  the  sun;  here  and  there  an  angry  spot 
of  thunder,  a  grey  stain  of  storm,  moving  upon 
the  burning  field;  and  here  and  there  a  fixed 
wreath  of  white  volcano  smoke,  surrounded  by  its 
circle  of  ashes;  but  for  the  most  part  a  great 
peacefulness  of  light,  Syria  and  Greece,  Italy  and 
Spain,  laid  like  pieces  of  golden  pavement  into 


188         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

the  sea-blue,  chased,  as  we  stoop  nearer  to  them, 
with  bossy  beaten  work  of  mountain  chains,  and 
glowing  softly  with  terraced  gardens,  and  flowers 
heavy  with  frankincense,  mixed  among  masses  of 
laurel,  and  orange  and  plumy  palm,  that  abate 
with  their  grey-green  shadows  the  burning  of  the 
marble  rocks,  and  of  the  ledges  of  porphyry  slop- 
ing under  lucent  sand. 

Then  let  us  pass  farther  towards  the  north,  un- 
til we  see  the  Orient  colours  change  gradually 
into  a  vast  belt  of  rainy  green,  where  the  pastures 
of  Switzerland,  and  poplar  valleys  of  France,  and 
dark  forests  of  the  Danube  and  Carpathians 
stretch  from  the  mouths  of  the  Loire  to  those  of 
the  Volga,  seen  through  clefts  in  grey  swirls  of 
rain-cloud  and  flaky  veils  of  the  mist  of  the  brooks, 
spreading  low  along  the  pasture  lands :  and  then, 
farther  north  still,  to  see  the  earth  heave  into 
mighty  masses  of  leaden  rock  and  heathy  moor, 
bordering  with  a  broad  waste  of  gloomy  purple 
that  belt  of  field  and  wood,  and  splintering  into 
irregular  and  grisly  islands  amidst  the  northern 
seas,  beaten  by  storm  and  chilled  by  ice-drift,  ancf 
tormented  by  furious  pulses  of  contending  tide, 
until  the  roots  of  the  last  forests  fail  from  among 
the  hill  ravines,  and  the  hunger  of  the  north  wind 
bites  their  peaks  into  barrenness;  and,  at  last,  the 
wall  of  ice,  durable  like  iron,  sets,  death-like,  its 
white  teeth  against  us  out  of  the  polar  twilight."* 

•  "Stones  of  Venice." 


OUR  POWER  OF  CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.  189 

In  using  such  language  of  the  flight  of  the  glori- 
fied saints,  we  ascribe  to  them  no  more  capacity 
for  motion  than  belongs  to  birds — to  storks  and 
swallows.  But,  in  fidelity  to  Scripture,  we  must 
go  far  beyond  this.  We  must  believe  that  their 
motion  through  space  admits  of  incredible  celer- 
ity; speed  so  great  it  would  appear  that  there  is 
almost  no  limit  or  restriction  to  it. 

When  we  have  read  the  fairy  tales  and  fables  of 
the  East,  we  have  thought  how  wonderful  it  might 
be,  if  the  gifts  of  motion  there  described  only  were 
'obtainable.  But  none  of  these  mere  productions 
of  human  fancy,  equal  in  splendour  and  marvel- 
lousness  of  conception  the  truths  which  the  Word 
of  God  presents  about  our  prospective  powers. 

Not  merely  with  such  speed  and  majesty  of 
flight,  such  minuteness  of  observation,  as  Ruskin 
attributes  to  the  birds,  but  with  incomparably 
greater;  we  shall  have  the  capacity  to  compass 
every  orb  that  rolls  in  space.  And,  that,  neither 
shivering  in  any  Arctic  cold,  not  fearing-  the  fires 
of  any  sun.  We  shall  have  ability  to  do  this  with 
any  sphere,  nebula,  or  constellation  along  the 
Milky  Way,  or  throughout  the  illimitable  empires 
of  God.  About  our  power  to  do  this,  there  can  be 
no  question  whatever.    This  must  be  conceded. 

But  shall  we  have  the  privilege  f 


CHAPTER  VIII 

GLORIFIED  SAINTS  HAVE  THE  PRIVILEGE  OF  CELES- 
TIAL   FLIGHT.      VARIOUS    ARGUMENTS 

Of  the  heavenly  city,  we  read  in  Revelation  that 
"The  gates  of  it  shall  not  be  shut  at  all  by  day: 
for  there  shall  be  no  night  there.  And  they  shall 
bring  the  glory  and  honour  of  the  nations  into  it." 
(Rev.  21 ;  25-26).  But,  after  the  nations  have 
come  in,  must  they  there  forever  stay?  Are  they 
there  confined,  with  no  freedom,  no  latitude,  no 
range  ? 

All  spirits  of  evil  are  to  be  imprisoned  in  one 
place  by  and  by.  What  then  is  there  for  saints  to 
fear?  Then  through  those  ever-open  gates  of 
Heaven,  saints  may  go  with  safety  to  and  fro  at 
will. 

The  spirits  who  have  reached  that  Heaven  are 
not  immured  there  now.  Peter  spoke  of  Christ 
as  He  "whom  the  heaven  must  receive  until  the 
times  of  restitution  of  all  things."  (Acts  3;  21). 
But  the  Scripture  does  not  represent  Jesus  as 
staying  in  Heaven  all  the  time.  After  Peter  had 
spoken  the  above  words,  Jesus  left  His  throne, 

190 


OUR  PRIVILEGE  OF  CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.        191 

came  back  to  earth,  and  appeared  to  Saul  at  Da- 
mascus. Then,  later,  appeared  to  him  again  at 
Jerusalem.     (Acts  23;  11). 

By  and  by  He  will  return  to  earth  once  more. 
Since  He  appeared  to  Saul  on  earth.  He  may  have 
visited  millions  of  other  worlds,  beside  this  one. 
Samuel  left  Heaven,  and  visited  earth.  So  did 
Moses.  So  Elijah.  So  the  spirits  of  many  saints 
w^hose  bodies  slept;  but  came  out  of  their  graves 
after  Christ's  resurrection.  All  these  beings,  after 
going  to  Heaven,  left  it  for  a  time,  and  came 
back  to  earth.  Upon  what  ground  then,  insist 
that,  when  we  go  thither,  we  must  remain  there 
eternally,  and  can  never  leave  the  heavenly  city? 

The  Scriptures  indicate  that  man  reaches  his 
highest  and  most  complete  estate  upon  receiving 
his  glorified  body.  But,  if  Moses,  and  Samuel, 
after  receiving  this,  are  to  be  confined  in  the  New 
Jerusalem,  then  they  are  not  to  enjoy  so  much 
range,  liberty,  and  privilege,  as  they  had  before. 
For,  previous  to  resurrection,  they  could  come 
back  to  earth.  If  the  spirits  of  the  other  world 
have  such  liberty  to  rove  through  space  before  as- 
suming their  imperishable  bodies  and  their  final 
honour,  surely  they  will  not  have  less  liberty  after 
they  enter  their  perfect  state. 

Since  flesh  and  blood  cannot  inherit  the  king- 
dom of  Heaven;  we  hold  that  Enoch  and  Elijah, 
before  entering  there,  must  have  been  changed, 
and  have  received  their  immortal  frames;  as  those 


192         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

living  on  earth  at  Christ's  second  advent  will  re- 
ceive such  frames,  and  be  caught  up  to  meet  the 
Lord  in  the  air.  But  Elijah,  with  his  glorified 
body,  came  back  to  earth,  on  the  Mount  of  Trans- 
figuration. If  by  and  by  he  is  to  be  confined  in 
Heaven,  then  the  future  is  to  bring  him,  not  in- 
crease of  privilege,  but  diminution.  If,  having  re- 
ceived his  glorious  form,  he  is  not  confined  there 
now,  upon  what  ground  assume  that  he  will  be 
hereafter,  while  the  gates  stand  open  day  and 
night  ? 

The  angels  have  been  permitted  to  range  far 
and  wide.  Are  they  to  be  there  confined?  Must 
their  uncounted  myriads  stand  inert,  those  wings 
forever  folded  that  were  once  forever  spread? 
And,  if  so,  why?  And  if  angels  are  not  confined, 
upon  what  ground  assume  that  we  shall  be,  since, 
as  Scripture  teaches,  we  shall  be  higher  than  are 
they?  If  there  is  no  restriction  upon  angelic 
flight,  are  powers  of  locomotion  bestowed  on 
glorified  saints,  simply  that  they  may  be  forever- 
more  unused? 

Wicked  spirits  can  now  visit  earth.  They  are 
not,  as  yet,  restricted  to  any  single  place.  And, 
if  we  by  and  by  are  not  permitted  to  come  back 
from  Heaven  to  earth,  then  the  devil  and  his 
angels  are  now  enjoying  privileges  which  the 
saints  in  their  glorified  estate  can  never  be  allowed 
to  know. 

Next  to  the  question  whether  we  are  to  have 


OUR  PRIVILEGE  OF  CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.        193 

eternal  life  at  all,  few  others  are  weightier  than 
this.  Are  we  to  enjoy  unrestricted  liberty  of 
roaming  and  studying  throughout  the  universe  of 
God,  with  all  its  unspeakably  varied  and  ineffably 
overwhelming  revelations  of  His  character?  Or, 
while  we  see  the  wonders  of  creation  spreading 
far  away  indefinitely  every  whither;  from  any  near 
approach  to  them,  are  we  to  be  shut  out,  that  we 
may  be  confined  in  some  one  limited  space? 

As  we  gaze  upon  the  starry  vaults,  are  they  to 
be  eternal  enigmas,  o'erhung  with  clouds  of  mys- 
tery forever?  Upon  the  parapets  of  the  Holy 
City  are  the  children  of  God  to  stand  in  despair, 
looking  out  to  everlasting  upon  ranges  of  creation 
which  must  be  to  them  forever  sealed,  and  whose 
lessons  must  be  forever  hidden?  Then  eternal 
life  would  be  eternal  tantalization. 

And  if  some  Christian  souls  should  say,  "We 
have  within  us  powers  of  lofty  and  untiring  flight, 
and  we  would  fain  go  forth  to  explore  the  marvels 
which  our  Father  hath  created;"  before  those  open 
gates,  would  God's  children  be  beaten  back?  As 
the  cherubim,  with  flaming  sword,  stood  at  the 
gates  of  the  earthly  Eden,  to  keep  us  out,  do  they 
stand  with  fiery  blades  before  these  portals  of  the 
heavenly  Eden,  to  keep  us  in?  Are  we  forever  re- 
stricted there,  unable  to  explore  God's  realms 
around?  Is  that  life  an  everlasting  captivity? 
Then  Heaven  would  be  a  prison. 

Is  there  any  utterance  of  God  to  this  effect? 


194         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

Any  reason  to  believe  such  edict  is  coming  by 
and  by?  Will  there  be  on  man's  part  the  everlast- 
ing, secret,  strong  desire,  which  he  struggles  to 
subdue?  On  God's  part,  the  everlasting  denial? 
Is  this  to  be  the  condition  of  the  redeemed  souls 
of  the  human  family?  Are  the  aspirations  of 
those  glorious  intellects  to  be  eternally  paralyzed; 
their  desires  to  investigate  and  learn,  forevermore 
repressed?  If  people  only  entered  in,  then  soon 
all  holy  finite  spirits  would  be  assembled  there. 
The  universe  itself  would  be  a  waste.  Never  a 
living  creature  anywhere  throughout  it,  to  con- 
template and  enjoy  God's  works  in  His  creation. 

But,  though  no  evil  spirit  or  unforglven  sin- 
ner can  ever  enter  in,  there  will  be  no  barrier  to 
keep  any  saint  from  going  out.  The  pearly  gates 
of  Heaven  swing  outward  as  well  as  inward  now. 
The  celestials  go  sweeping  outward  through  them 
now.  Both  saints  and  angels  through  them  out- 
ward pass.  And  they  shall  swing  both  ways  for- 
ever. That  saints  and  angels  may  pass  out  as 
well  as  in.  Of  the  familiar  verse  in  Revelation 
(Chap.  21 ;  25),  the  plain  meaning  is  simply  this, 
"The  gates  of  it  shall  not  be  shut  at  all." 

As  the  presence  of  fins  on  fishes  proclaims  the 
general  intention  that  those  fishes  shall  move 
through  water,  and  the  presence  of  wings  on 
feathered  creatures  indicates  a  general  purpose 
that  those  birds  shall  move  through  air;  so  the 
unmistakable   future   physical  preparation  of  hu- 


OUR  PRIVILEGE  OF  CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.        195 

man  beings  for  journeying  through  the  boundless 
kingdoms  of  space,  raises  an  impregnable  pre- 
sumption that  we  shall  be  allowed  to  traverse 
them.  We  are  irresistibly  compelled  to  believe 
that  there  is  no  portion  of  the  universe,  save  the 
region  of  the  lost,  which  the  child  of  God  will  not 
be  permitted  to  explore. 

What  Scriptural  passage  or  argument  of  any 
weight  can  be  adduced  against  this  view?  Does 
any  one  cite  Rev.  3;  12:  "Him  that  overcometh 
will  I  make  a  pillar  in  the  temple  of  my  God,  and 
he  shall  go  no  more  out?"  But  these  words  must 
be  understood  in  a  figurative  sense.  In  the  final 
visions  of  the  Book,  the  temple  has  forever  dis- 
appeared. There  is  no  temple  more.  "And  I  saw 
no  temple  therein,  for  the  Lord  God  Almighty 
and  the  Lamb  are  the  temple  of  it,"  (Rev.  21; 
22).  In  Rev.  3,  we  must  take  the  word  temple 
as  having  a  purely  spiritual  import;  as  meaning 
the  glorified  body  of  Christ,  "in  whom  all  the 
building  fitly  joined  together  groweth  unto  an 
holy  temple  in  the  Lord."  (Eph.  2;  21).  The 
text  above  quoted  teaches,  not  permanent  restric- 
tion in  physical  residence,  but  perpetuity  of  spirit- 
ual relation. 

And,  in  the  absence  of  inspired  evidence  that 
we  are  not  to  travel  through  the  infinite  realms 
of  God;  this  unquestionable  power  of  coursing 
through  them,  is  of  itself  sufficient  proof  that  we 
shall  have  the  privilege  of  traversing  them.     As 


196         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

Revelation  gives  no  opposing  hint,  so  it  would 
seem  difficult,  if  not  impossible  for  reason  to  sug- 
gest any  valid  ground  why  we  should  not  have 
this  liberty  of  far-ranging  flight.  Therefore  we 
insist  that  our  ability  to  make  these  limitless  jour- 
neys, is  evidence  conclusive  that  we  shall  have 
the  opportunity.  So,  were  the  Bible  otherwise 
entirely  silent  as  to  the  matter,  upon  simply  this 
one  basis — the  Scriptural  revelations  about  our 
coming  powers  of  flight;  we  are  justified  in  be- 
lieving we  shall  have  divine  permission  to  journey 
through  our  Father's  illimitable  kingdoms.  That 
we  shall  be  permitted  to  go  wherever  God  doth 
reign,  and  as  long  as  God  sitteth  on  the  throne. 

To  the  question  what  further  reasons  can  be 
given  to  support  the  conclusion  that  glorified  man 
is  to  range  throughout  the  Cosmos;  we  answer, 
there  are  reasons  many.  Some  of  these  now  fol- 
low: 

One  is  the  general  and  earnest  aspiration  of 
thinking  men  to  investigate  the  universe.  With 
the  prospective  gift  of  flight  already  discussed^ 
God  has  bestowed  a  strong  desire  to  use  this 
power  of  motion. 

Every  human  being,  who  thinks  at  all,  ponders 
within  himself  this  question  whether  he  is  ever  to 
behold  those  distant  worlds.  How  often  did  the 
reader  ever  meet  an  intelligent  person  who  would 


OUR  PRIVILEGE  OF  CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.        197 

admit  he  had  no  desire  to  explore  them?  Our  in- 
tellectual and  spiritual  instincts  repudiate  the  idea 
that  we  are  to  be  confined  on  any  single  orb. 

This  belief  that  we  shall  visit  the  far-ofif  con- 
stellations, and  this  desire  to  do  so,  were  not 
specially  noticeable  in  ancient  literature.  Then 
men  had  no  conception  how  wonderful  God's  king- 
dom was.  They  did  not  know  much  about  the 
most  familiar  aspects  of  the  Heavens.  Were  not 
thinking  of  them.  But  belief  in  the  prospective 
privilege  of  which  we  speak,  is  a  developing  feat- 
ure of  modern  thought.  Scientists  speculate 
about  it.  Theologians  anticipate  it.  The  Chris- 
tian imagination  revels  over  it.  It  seems  to  be 
a  growing  and  cherished  element  of  theological 
and  religious  faith. 

Ever  since  men  have  begun  to  realize  more 
fully  the  extent  of  the  universe,  their  hope  has 
kindled  of  some  day  reaching  God's  remoter  prov- 
inces. That  hope  is  itself  prophetic  of  coming  pos- 
sibility. This  growing  desire  among  Christian 
people  that  we  may  be  permitted  to  survey  the 
cosmos,  is  confirmatory  of  our  previous  reasoning 
and  our  general  positions. 

Hence  we  draw  one  argument  from  human 
longing  to  visit  those  far-ofT  spheres.  With  the 
spread  of  philosophy  and  science  in  various  lands, 
men  dream  more  and  more  of  one  day  investigat- 
ing and  enjoying  the  immeasurably  distant  realms 
of  space.     The  human  mind  becomes  more  and 


198         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

more  interested  to  learn  about  them  everything 
which  at  present  can  be  known.  With  utmost 
eagerness  scientists  receive  from  the  great  ob- 
servatories of  the  globe  news  of  fresh  discoveries. 
With  unfailing  and  increasing  fascination  the 
starry  firmament  attracts  our  gaze,  and  stimulates 
imagination  to  its  loftiest  flights. 

How  many  must  echo  the  sentiments  of  Jung 
Stilling!  ''I  know  many  worthy  individuals,  and 
persons  of  religious  sentiments,  supposing  that, 
after  death,  we  shall  study  the  works  of  creation, 
traveling  from  star  to  star,  on  errands  of  high 
importance,  and  finding,  in  so  doing,  a  great  part 
of  our  felicity.  *  *  *  I  myself  have  this  idea,  but 
believe  it  will  only  be  realized,  when  the  soul  is 
in  possession  of  its  newly  glorified  immortal 
body."* 

Macready  said,  "The  notion  of  our  earth  alone 
being  inhabited,  seems  to  me  a  conceited  one.  I 
sympathize  with  the  feeling  of  old  Fuseli,  the 
painter;  who,  as  he  walked  up  and  down  with  me 
on  the  terrace  one  fine  clear  night,  looked  up  at 
the  myriads  of  stars  above  him,  and  said,  'Perhaps 
I  shall  be  among  them  soon;'  his  tone  was  deep 
and  solemn.     It  thrilled  me  through.'  "** 

Professor  O.  M.  Mitchel,  the  great  astronomer, 
believed  that  in  the  future  life  he  was  to  go  from 
world  to  world,  continuing  his  studies  of  the 
Heavens. 


*  "Pneumatology,"  page  171. 

••  "Macready  as  I  Have  Known  Him,"  Lady  PoUok. 


OUR  PRIVILEGE  OF  CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.        199 

We  desire  this  range.  It  is  almost  inconceiv- 
able that  spirits  in  the  other  world  can  be  content 
to  remain  in  one  place,  and  not  long  for  the  privi- 
lege of  exploring  and  examining  the  universe.  It 
seems  absolutely  certain  they  also  must  have  like 
desires  with  our  own.  The  thinking  soul  yearns 
for  that  unbounded  liberty  of  range  hereafter. 
Toward  it  go  the  natural  instincts  and  longings  of 
the  human  heart. 

At  the  cation  of  the  Yellowstone,  you  survey 
the  stupendous  cleft,  i,ooo  feet  or  more  in  depth. 
Back  of  its  precipices  are  primeval  forests.  Along 
its  sides  are  so  many  colours,  which  in  variegated 
beauty  blend !  At  the  head  of  the  chasm,  upon 
your  right,  the  roar  of  the  cataract — the  great 
Yellowstone  Falls !  There,  in  majesty,  the  waters 
rush,  and  foam,  and  rage,  and  thunder.  Then  go 
hurrying  down  the  gorge. 

Out  of  the  abyss,  on  slender  pinnacles  of  rock, 
that  come  shooting  up  into  the  air,  the  eagles 
have  built  their  nests.  You  look  right  down  upon 
them.  Along  their  eyrie's  edge  some  tiny  eaglets 
stand.  One  parent  bird  is  hovering  along  the 
clifif.  While  the  other  has  mounted  so  high  in 
air,  he  is  scarce  visible — just  a  speck  against  the 
sky.  Now  down  through  the  cafion  see  that 
young  eagle  sail,  reared  last  summer  perchance  in 
this  same  nest.  Through  mist,  and  cloud,  and 
iris-coloured  spray,  he  comes;  his  pinions  tipped 
with  light.    But  the  eaglets  see,  and  emulate  him. 


200         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

The  flutter  of  their  Httle  plumes,  and  their  weird 
cry — as  it  goes  echoing  away,  proclaim  their  as- 
pirations. These  are  prophetic  of  the  day  when 
those  eaglets  shall  know  the  power  God  giveth 
to  an  eagle's  pinions.  By  and  by,  like  their  par- 
ents, the  eaglets  shall  be  soaring — strong,  and 
swift  of  wing. 

And  man  is  the  child  of  God,  who  is  present 
everywhere.  He  is  the  brother  of  Christ,  who 
may  journey  every  whither.  He  is  pupil  of  the 
Spirit,  who  is  infinitely  ubiquitous.  It  is  natural 
that  he  should  covet  this  wide-extending  flight. 
From  his  very  parentage,  he  must  thus  aspire. 

And,  as  we  ourselves  cannot  be  satisfied  with  a 
conception  of  the  future  state,  which  confines  us 
to  any  single  sphere,  so  neither  is  Father,  Son  or 
Spirit  content  with  any  such  idea. 

In  proving  this,  we  might  present  at  the  outset 
the  plain  and  unqualified  statements  of  Scripture 
from  the  Father,  from  the  Son,  and  from  the  Holy 
Spirit;  for  each  person  in  the  God-head  distinctly 
declares  that  the  believer's  future  heritage  is  to  be 
the  universe.  But  perhaps  this  mode  of  procedure 
would  not  be  the  most  satisfactory  and  effective. 
It  may  be  wiser  to  begin  with  other  evidences, 
and  show  how  many,  strong  and  various,  but  con- 
sentient they  are;  and  how  all  culminate  in  and 
emphasize  these  universal  and  unmistakable  af- 
firmations, which  are  repetitiously  given  upon  the 
pages  of  Holy  Writ,  that  the  child  of  God  shall 


OUR  PRIVILEGE  OF  CELESTIAL  FLIGHT.        201 

inherit  all  the  empires  of  the  Deity.    We  will  pur- 
sue, therefore,  this  latter  course. 


CHAPTER  IX 

THAT  GLORIFIED  SAINTS  WILL  POSSESS  AND  ENJOY 
THE  ENTIRE  COSMOS,  IS  PROVED  BY  WHAT  THE 
BIBLE  TEACHES  ABOUT  GOD  THE  FATHER  AND 
OUR    RELATIONS   TO    HIM. 

I.   Consider  His  spirit  toward  us. 

Earth  is  His  foot-stool.  Heaven  is  His  throne. 
He  plainly  teaches  that  we  are  to  see  these.  But 
does  He  teach  that  these  are  all  we  are  to  see? 

Imagine  a  king,  and  one  who  has  been  adopted 
as  his  son.  That  adopted  son  is  told  he  is  to  enjoy 
the  favour  of  his  royal  father  as  long  as  they  both 
live.  The  son  says,  "Can  I  visit  your  far-distant 
realms?"  "No."  "May  I  look  upon  the  mighty 
seas  which  ebb  and  flow  within  your  empire?" 
"No."  "May  I  go  to  its  mountain  ranges,  gaze 
upon  their  slopes  and  crests?"  "No."  "See  its 
mirrored  lakes,  which  are  smiles  of  the  Creator, 
photographed,  then  framed  with  woods  and 
hills?"  "No."  "Enjoy  the  meadow  and  the  gar- 
den?" "No."  "Can  I  visit  any  of  these  things  at 
some  future  time?"    "No.    You  can  see  my  foot- 

202 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  THE  FATHER.  203 

stool  and  my  throne.  Nothing  more  of  all  my 
kingdom;  now,  or  at  any  time  to  come." 

Could  this  spirit  be  conceived,  even  in  an  earthly 
monarch?  Much  less  in  the  infinite  heart  of  the 
Father  God.  We  cannot  for  an  instant  soberly 
attribute  to  Him  such  disposition,  permitting  us 
to  see  only  His  foot-stool  and  His  throne;  but  for- 
evermore  nothing  of  His  boundless  and  everlast- 
ing kingdom. 

The  sacrifice  of  His  well-beloved  and  only-be- 
gotten Son  represented  the  greatest  possible  love 
even  a  divine  nature  could  feel  for  man.  God 
has  already  granted  us  the  highest  proof  of  love 
He  was  able  to  bestow.  If  He  gave  the  life  of 
His  Son  whom  He  loves  as  He  loves  Himself, 
surely  He  cannot  withhold  the  privilege  of  seeing 
the  material  things  His  Son  has  made.  For  this 
is  necessary  that  we  may  appreciate  the  greatness 
of  that  Son.  If  the  Father  allowed  the  Prince 
Royal  to  be  slain,  to  bring  us  into  that  Father's 
kingdom,  will  He  keep  us  in  one  corner  of  His 
kingdom  forever?  After  paying  such  a  price  to 
give  us  eternal  life,  will  He  now  withhold  what  is 
necessary  to  ensure  for  that  life  its  fullest  expan- 
sion and  development?  Throughout  that  eternal 
existence,  are  God's  children,  whose  adoration  He 
so  much  covets,  never  to  behold  more  than  a 
minute  portion  of  their  Father's  realms,  or  to 
know  how  great  their  Father  is? 

As  the  gift  of  His  Son  shows  His  spirit  toward 


204         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

US  in  other  things,  so  it  represents  that  spirit  in 
the  matter  of  which  we  speak.  That  such  infinite 
love  will  be  exhibited  by  keeping  us  in  ignorance 
of  creation  to  all  eternity,  is  inconceivable. 

The  highest  love  means  bestowal  of  self.  Its 
instinct  is  to  give  everything  save  moral  character 
— all  one  has,  all  one  is.  And  God's  love,  in  its 
final  manifestations,  cannot  be  satisfied  short  of 
the  largest  possible  granting  of  privileges  both 
spiritual  and  material.  The  infinite  heart  can 
never  be  content  with  any  expression  which  with- 
holds even  mere  knowledge  of  the  creation  which 
has  proceeded  from  the  infinite  mind. 

I.  But  our  assumption  in  this  matter  does  not 
approach  the  actual  fact  about  what  He  is  to  do. 
For,  far  from  so  comparatively  slight  a  boon  as 
that  of  allowing  us  to  see  and  study  these  ma- 
terial things.  He  purposes  to  give  them  for  our 
possessions.  "He  that  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but 
delivered  him  up  for  us  all,  how  shall  he  not  with 
him  also  freely  give  us  all  things f"  (Rom.  8;  32). 
The  Greek  phrase  "all  things''  is  the  same  as  that 
describing  the  "all  things"  that  God  created 
through  Christ.  (John  i;  3.  Eph.  3;  9).  It  means 
all  created  things. 

This  language  expresses  God's  desire  and  in- 
tention to  give  us  these  things  outright.  As  He 
gives  His  Son,  so  He  gives  the  privileges  of  His 
empire. 

His  infinite  and  eternal  love,  from  its  very  na- 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  THE  FATHER.  205 

ture,  cannot  be  satisfied  until  it  has  communicated 
itself  in  the  utmost  possible  realization  of  itself 
through  all  the  resources  at  His  command; 
through  Himself,  His  Son,  His  Spirit,  and  His 
kingdom. 

God,  as  it  were,  gives  His  own  heart;  then  sends 
His  Son,  then  sends  His  Spirit,  then  takes  us  to 
be  with  Him,  then  gives  us  the  City  of  God,  and 
His  entire  universe. 

2.  With  this  plain  teaching  about  the  spirit  of 
God  concerning  us,  agrees  what  is  taught  by  par- 
able. The  spirit  of  the  divine  Father  toward  us, 
is  illustrated  by  that  of  the  human  father  toward 
the  prodigal  son.  To  the  returning  prodigal  the 
human  parent  gives  welcome,  and  feasts  him  with 
the  fatted  calf.  But,  to  the  elder  brother,  who  has 
been  faithfully  serving,  he  says,  "Thou  are  ever 
with  me,  and  all  that  I  have  is  thine."  (Luke  15; 
31).  And  the  glorified  saint,  a  prodigal  no  more, 
has  come  into  the  position  of  the  elder  brother, 
who  abides  forever  in  the  father's  house.  There- 
fore the  spirit  of  the  divine  Father  toward  him  is 
expressed  in  the  words,  "Thou  art  ever  with  me, 
and  all  that  I  have  is  thine.'* 

Says  Nehemiah  (Chap.  9;  6),  "Thou,  even  thou, 
art  Lord  alone;  thou  hast  made  heaven,  the 
heaven  of  heavens,"  (i.  e.,  the  entire  universe,) 
"with  all  their  host,  the  earth,  and  all  things  that 
are  therein,  and  thou  preservest  them  all;  and  the 
host  of  heaven  worshippeth  thee."     This  includes 


206         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

all  material  things.  But,  regarding  all  these 
things,  God's  spirit  toward  the  ransomed  saint  is 
described  by  the  words  "a//  that  I  have  is  thine.'''' 

Such  teaching  shows  God  as  having,  in  over- 
flowing measure,  the  spirit  that  would  lead  Him 
to  do  the  things  of  which  we  speak,  and  bless  us 
to  the  utmost.  And,  since  our  sins  will  then  be 
no  longer  in  the  way,  there  will  be  nothing  to 
prevent  Him  from  acting  according  to  His  dispo- 
sition. 

So  with  man's  desire  to  journey  amid  the  distant 
worlds,  accords  God's  desire  to  let  him  do  it. 

n.    But  God's  spirit  must  fructify  in  act. 

This  spirit  is  formally  expressed  in  a  plain  decla- 
ration of  His  settled  purpose  to  give  us  all  things. 
That  purpose  is  brought  out  in  various  ways. 

The  Scriptures  abound  in  passages  which  pro- 
claim that  God's  kingdom  is  absolutely  all-com- 
prehensive." For  instance,  I.  Chron.  29;  11: 
"Thine,  Lord,  is  the  greatness,  and  the  power, 
and  the  glory,  and  the  victory,  and  the  majesty; 
for  all  that  is  in  the  heaven  and  in  the  earth  is 
thine;  thine  is  the  kingdom,  O  Lord,  and  thou  art 
exalted  as  head  above  all."  Of  course  this  king- 
dom includes  all  matter  as  well  as  all  mind. 

Now  consider 

I.     The  Scriptural  intimation  that,  with  enjoy- 


FROM  RiiJLATIONS  TO  THE  FATHER.  207 

ment  of  the  spiritual  blessings  of  the  kingdom,  are 
to  go  the  material  privileges  also. 

God  says  through  the  Hps  of  Christ  (Matt.  6; 
33),  "But  seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God,  and 
his  righteousness;  and  all  these  things  shall  be 
added  unto  you."  Again,  (Luke  12;  31),  "Rather 
seek  ye  the  kingdom  of  God;  and  all  these  things 
shall  be  added  unto  you."  But,  of  course  the  dis- 
position and  principle  of  government  which,  with 
spiritual  gifts  here  on  earth,  promises  a  proper 
share  of  material  gifts;  must,  when  acting  in  the 
other  world,  to  the  higher  spirituality,  add  also 
higher  material  gifts  and  privileges.  Christ's  lan- 
guage plainly  intimates  this.  "Fear  not,  little 
flock;  for  it  is  your  father's  good  pleasure  to  give 
you  the  kingdom."  (Luke  12;  32).  But  that 
kingdom  includes  all  things,  spiritual  and  material. 

These  passages  emphasize  the  spiritual  features 
of  the  kingdom  of  God,  as  taking  precedence.  But 
teach  that  pursuit  of  the  spiritual  elements  of  the 
kingdom  brings  in  addition  physical  and  material 
bounties.  Diligent  quest  of  blessings  in  the 
spiritual  department  of  that  kingdom  has  promise 
of  blessings  in  the  material  hemisphere  also.  So 
Paul  exhorts  (I.  Thess.  2;  12),  "That  ye  would 
walk  worthy  of  God,  who  hath  called  you  unto  his 
kingdom  and  glory."  Revised  Version  reads,  "who 
calleth  you  into  his  own  kingdom  and  glory."  God 
hath   called  us  into  His  own  kingdom  and  His 


208         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE, 

own  glory.  But  His  kingdom  comprehends  the 
entire  universe,  and  part  of  His  glory  is  to  rule 
over  the  universe.  To  a  share  in  this  kingdom 
and  this  glory,  He  calls  us. 

2.  Note  what  is  taught  concerning  the  extent 
of  God's  abode  and  ours. 

"Do  not  I  mi  heaven  and  earth?  saith  the  Lord." 
(Jer.  23;  24).  The  Psalmist  sings,  "Unto  thee  lift 
I  up  mine  eyes,  O  thou  that  dwellest  in  the  heav- 
ens." (Ps.  123;  i).  And  Solomon  echoes,  "But 
who  is  able  to  build  him  an  house,  seeing  the 
heaven  and  heaven  of  heavens  canot  contain  him  ? 
who  am  I  then,  that  I  should  build  him  an  house, 
save  only  to  burn  sacrifice  before  him?"  (H. 
Chron.  2;  6).  And,  in  another  place,  he  repeats 
this  sentiment.  (H.  Chron.  6;  18).  Again,  the 
Psalmist  voices  his  adoration.  "Who  coverest 
thyself  with  light  as  with  a  garment;  who  stretch- 
est  out  the  heavens  like  a  curtain."  (Ps.  104;  2). 
Isaiah  adds,  "It  is  he  *  *  *  that  stretcheth  out  the 
heavens  as  a  curtain,  and  spreadeth  them  out  as  a 
tent  to  dwell  in."     (Is.  40;  22), 

His  dwelHng  is  the  light  of  countless  suns.  But 
"Behold,  the  heaven  and  heaven  of  heavens  can- 
not contain  him."  (I.  Kings  8;  27).  God  is  every- 
where; and  He  is  everywhere  all  the  time.  Other- 
wise He  is  not  omnipresent.  But,  if  He  dwells 
throughout  the  entire  universe,  and  dwells  there 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  THE  FATHER.  209 

all  the  time,  then  the  entire  universe  must  be  His 
house.  Does  He  inhabit  eternity?  He  also  inhabits 
infinity.  This  is  the  Father's  home.  And  if  the 
Prince  Royal  was  slain  to  bring  us  into  it,  will  the 
Father  keep  us  in  a  single  apartment  of  that  house 
forever?  Not  even  allow  us  to  see  this  abode  the 
Prince  has  built? 

Christ  says,  "In  my  Father's  house  are  many 
mansions.  *  *  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you." 
(John  14;  2).  But  God's  house  is  greater  than 
His  foot-stool,  greater  than  His  throne.  His 
abode  is  coterminous  with  His  empire.  God's 
house  is  the  universe. 

Hence  these  mansions  preparing  for  us,  are  not 
part  of  His  foot-stool;  or  part  of  His  throne.  They 
extend  far  away,  beyond  both  foot-stool  and 
throne — beyond  earth  and  any  local  heaven.  Why 
then  must  they  not  be  on  the  starry  worlds,  if  not 
the  starry  worlds  themselves?  Can  they  be  any- 
where else,  if  indeed  anything  else?  Our  abodes 
will  not  be  confined  to  a  local  heaven  alone.  They 
will  sweep  beyond  this,  through  the  heaven  of 
heavens.  However  numerous  may  be  "the  dust- 
like clouds  of  stars,"  "we  are  the  Creator's  chil- 
dren, and  these  crowded  nebulae,  packed  with  orbs 
as  thick  as  the  ocean-beach  with  sands,  are  the 
many  mansions  of  the  house  fitted  up  for  his 
abode  and  ours."* 

From  the  late  Dr.  George  T.  Purves,  Professor 


•  Alger's  "Doctrine  of  the  Future  Life,"  page  600. 


210         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

of  New  Testament  Literature  in  Princeton  Semi- 
nary, we  quote  in  part  his  exegesis  of  the  "many- 
mansions:"** 

"Give  the  phrase  a  larger  meaning,  and  the 
force  of  its  comfort  will  be  more  plain.  *  *  * 
What  more  natural  then,  than  for  him  to  regard 
the  whole  universe  itself,  as  His  Father's  house? 
Such,  in  fact,  it  is.  *  *  The  whole  universe  is 
filled  with  His  presence,  and  has  been  created  by 
Him  to  be  the  place  where  His  children  shall  dwell 
in  companionship  with  Himself. 

"Thus  I  understand  that  the  Lord  meant  by  His 
'Father's  house'  the  whole  vast  universe;  and,  if 
so,  the  point  of  His  comfort  to  the  disciples  be- 
comes clear.  Tn  my  Father's  house,'  He  said,  'are 
many  mansions.'  Do  not  suppose  that  this  world 
is  all,  or  that  beyond  the  vail,  even  the  blessedness 
and  joy  of  this  world  will  not  be  surpassed.  You 
have  found  a  home  here.  *  *  But  this  is  only 
one  mansion.  There  are  many  more.  You  have 
entered  only  the  first.  There  are  myriads  that  you 
have  not  seen.  Do  not,  therefore,  trouble  that  I 
leave  you.  This  world  is  not  the  whole  of  the 
stage  on  which  redemption  is  to  be  wrought  out. 
*  *  This  world  is  but  one  place  of  abode  with  God. 
There  are  innumerable  more,  and  only  with  these 
in  thought  can  you  realize  the  worth  and  promise 
of  the  Christian  life. 

"No  doubt  the  false  astronomy  of  that  day  made 

•♦"Faith  and  Life,"   pages   341-346. 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  THE  FATHER.  211 

it  seem  more  difficult  for  the  disciples  than  for  us 
to  g-rasp  the  scope  of  the  Saviour's  words.  *  *  We 
know  that  ours  is  but  one  of  countless  worlds." 

3.  Consider  what  is  said  about  our  instruction 
in  the  heavenly  mansions. 

Scripture  indicates  unmistakably  that  the  com- 
ing life  will  introduce  us  to  a  higher  and  more 
advanced  stage  of  education.  There  will  be  ex- 
pansion and  enlargement  of  our  faculties.  For 
these  latter  there  must  be  fitting  exercises.  Thus, 
from  the  very  nature  of  the  case,  there  must  be 
instruction.  So  the  Bible  declares,  "For  now  we 
see  through  a  glass  darkly;  but  then  face  to  face; 
now  I  know  in  part;  but  then  shall  I  know  even 
as  also  I  am  known."     (I.  Cor.  13;  12). 

Surely,  next  to  God  himself,  one  of  the  greatest 
subjects  we  are  to  study  is  the  works  of  God.  For, 
without  these,  it  is  impossible  to  gain  understand- 
ing of  God  Himself.  Without  exploring  the  visi- 
ble things,  we  can  never  understand  the  things 
invisible.  We  cannot  know  His  character,  appre- 
ciate His  attributes,  or  realize  His  glory.  It  is 
absolutely  necessary  for  us  to  have  the  profound- 
est  and  most  comprehensive  possible  understand- 
ing of  the  creation,  in  order  to  a  right  knowledge 
of  the  Creator. 

There  can  be  no  conceivable  reason  why  the 
Father  should  not  allow  us  this  knowledge.   There 


212         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

will  be  in  us  no  rebellion,  antagonism,  or  possibil- 
ity of  misusing  what  we  learn.  We  are  to  be  for- 
ever holy.  Our  one  great  aspiration  and  desire 
will  be  to  obey  Him,  and  honour  Him.  And  in- 
crease of  intelligence  for  us,  the  largest  possible 
education  for  our  minds,  will  but  prepare  us  to 
serve  Him  better.  This  is  for  our  interest,  be- 
cause knowledge  of  His  works  will  develop  us.  It 
is  for  His  interest,  because  such  knowledge  will 
enable  us  to  glorify  Him  more. 

The  Scripture  implies  that  we  are  to  consider 
His  works.  It  calls  our  attention  to  them;  directs 
us  to  investigate  them.  In  Job,  God  challenges 
the  patriarch  to  behold  the  divine  character  in 
the  creation.  **Canst  thou  bind  the  sweet  influ- 
ences of  Pleiades,  or  loose  the  bands  of  Orion? 
Canst  thou  bring  forth  Mazzaroth  in  his  season?" 
(i.  e.,  the  signs  of  the  Zodiac?)  "Or  canst  thou 
guide  Arcturus  with  his  sons?  Knowest  thou  the 
ordinances  of  heaven?  Canst  thou  set  the  do- 
minion thereof  in  the  earth?"  (Job  38;  31-33). 
And  through  Isaiah  the  Spirit  says,  "Who  hath 
measured  the  waters  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand, 
and  meted  out  heaven  with  the  span,  and  compre- 
hended the  dust  of  the  earth  in  a  measure,  and 
weighed  the  mountains  in  scales,  and  the  hills  in 
a  balance?"  (Is.  40;  12).  "Hearken  unto  me,  O 
Jacob  *  *  *  *  I  am  the  first,  I  also  am  the  last. 
Mine  hand  also  hath  laid  the  foundation  of  the 
earth,  and  my  right  hand  hath  spanned  the  heav-' 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  THE  FATHER.  213 

ens;  when  I  call  unto  them,  they  stand  up  to- 
gether."   (Is.  48;  12-13)- 

And  through  Paul,  the  Spirit  says,  "For  the  in- 
visible things  of  him  from"  (Revised  Version, 
"since")  "the  creation  of  the  world  are  clearly 
seen,  being  understood  by  the  things  that  are 
made,  even  his  eternal  power  and  Godhead;"  (Re- 
vised Version,  "divinity,")  "so  that  they  are  with- 
out excuse;  because  that,  when  they  knew  God, 
they  glorified  him  not  as  God."  (Rom.  i;  20-21). 
But  the  word  "world"  is  in  Greek  "the  universe." 
"The  invisible  things  of  him  since  the  creation  of 
the  universe  are  clearly  seen." 

There  is  enough  revealed  in  this  world  to  ren- 
der inexcusable  those  who  say  there  is  no  God. 
But  earth  compares  with  the  universe,  as  the  drop 
of  water  with  the  ocean.  On  earth  the  invisible 
things  are  seen  clearly;  that  is,  manifested  clearly, 
but  not  comprehensively.  So  the  text  does  not 
mean  that  the  invisible  things  are  exhaustively 
seen  and  understood  by  the  things  that  are  made 
in  this  zvorld.  It  is  a  more  comprehensive  state- 
ment. "Since  the  creation  of  the  universe,  the  in- 
visible things  of  God  are  understood  by  the  things 
that  are  made,"  i.  e.,  that  are  made  throughout  the 
entire  cosmos.  And  the  universe  must  be  searched 
and  studied,  that  the  invisible  things  may  be  more 
fully  and  thoroughly  understood. 

As  well  assume  that  investigation  of  one  clover 
leaf  yields  sufficient  knowledge  of  the  vegetable 


214         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

world;  or  examination  of  one  rabbit  brings  ample 
acquaintance  with  the  entire  animal  kingdom;  as 
that  a  survey  of  earth  gives  us  exhaustive  under- 
standing of  God's  works,  and  of  His  invisible  char- 
acteristics. As  well  claim  that  by  study  of  a  single 
grain  of  dust,  we  may  know  the  globe;  as  that,  by 
study  of  the  globe,  we  may  know  the  universe, 
and  what  may  be  understood  about  the  ineffable 
glories  of  the  Deity. 

But,  while  our  study  of  creation  is  explaining 
it  more  and  more,  only  an  infinitesimal  part  of 
"the  things  that  are  made"  can  be  known  by  us 
in  our  present  state.  Through  the  illimitable  ex- 
panses of  space  move  other  marvels.  These  also 
must  be  known,  if  we  would  better  understand 
the  invisible  attributes  of  the  Creator. 

Is  it  consistent  with  His  unmistakable  purpose 
of  mighty  love  toward  us,  to  tantalize  us  through 
all  eternity  by  allowing  only  far-off  glimpses  of 
material  wonders  we  never  can  investigate?  When 
such  investigation  is  necessary  for  our  own  men- 
tal growth,  expansion,  and  delight;  also  our  higher 
ability  to  understand  His  attributes  and  honour 
Him? 

Consider  other  similar  passages.  Thou  "hast 
set  thy  glory  above  the  heavens."  (Ps.  8;  i). 
"The  Lord  is  high  above  all  nations,  and  his  glory 
above  the  heavens."  (Ps.  113;  4).  "His  glory  is 
above  the  earth  and  heaven."  (Ps.  148;  13);  i.  e., 
His    glory    fills    the    expanse    of    the    firmament 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  THE  FATHER.  215 

throughout  the  universe.  "The  heavens  declare 
the  glory  of  God,  and  the  firmament  showeth  his 
handiwork."  (Ps.  19;  i).  Doubtless — to  angels. 
And  they  will  do  this  to  men,  when  men  have 
power  to  range  through  and  explore  them.  But 
certainly  they  do  not  declare  to  us  His  glory  and 
His  handiwork  now,  save  in  the  most  limited 
measure.  If  we  are  to  be  forever  in  some  local 
heaven,  and  our  relations  to  the  firmament  are 
to  be  forever  substantially  the  same  as  now;  if  we 
must  study  that  firmament  forever  from  a  limited 
basis,  and  at  incredible  distance;  our  knowledge 
of  it  must  be  forever  microscopic.  If,  of  over  a 
hundred  million  spheres  that  sweep  through  the 
realms  of  space,  we  never  are  to  know  more  than 
one  or  two  orbs;  then  only  an  infinitesimal  portion 
of  God's  glory  is  ever  to  be  made  known  unto  His 
sons.  God's  material  works  must  remain  forever 
volumes  chained  and  locked.  How  will  the  heav- 
ens declare  His  glory,  when  they  are  to  be  for- 
ever beyond  our  ken?  How  will  the  firmament 
show  His  handiwork,  when  we  are  to  be  separated 
from  it  forever  by  immeasurable  abysses? 

What  sort  of  witness  would  he  be,  who  should 
declare  less  than  one  hundred-millionth  of  the 
truth,  and  withhold  the  rest  ?  What  sort  of  teacher 
would  he  be,  who  should  present  less  than  one 
hundred-millionth  of  a  subject,  but  never  any 
more?  Are  the  heavens  to  declare,  while  no  one 
is  allowed  to  listen?     Is  the  firmament  to  show, 


216         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

while  no  one  is  permitted  to  behold?  Reverently 
we  submit  that,  at  present,  the  heavens  conceal 
the  glory  of  God,  and  the  firmament  hideth  His 
handiwork. 

The  heavens  and  the  firmament  are  a  library  of 
over  a  hundred  million  volumes.  And  at  present 
we  have  only  been  able  superficially  to  investigate 
a  single  one — the  earth.  Surely  it  does  not  accord 
with  God's  character  to  allow  His  children  to  read 
out  of  the  divine  library  only  one  or  two  books 
through  the  endless  ages  that  are  to  come;  while 
over  a  hundred  millions  more  of  illuminated  and 
interesting  volumes  must  be  to  us  forever  scrolls 
sealed  with  seven  seals. 

There  is  the  British  Museum,  filled  to  overflow- 
ing with  the  most  varied,  valuable  and  instructive 
products  of  the  hand  and  brain  of  man.  Imagine 
an  English  Sovereign,  pointing  from  some  distant 
spot  to  that  Museum,  and  saying  to  his  son,  who 
is  being  educated  for  the  throne,  "All  history  is 
there.  All  antiquities  are  there.  All  poetry  is 
there.  All  science  is  there.  All  things  of  beauty 
are  there.  Almost  every  conceivable  product  of 
human  genius  is  in  some  way  represented  there. 
Greatest  collection  of  literature  and  art  ever  gath- 
ered by  the  Anglo-Saxon  race !"  And  the  son 
says,  "Can  I  see  it?"  "Oh,  no!  No  one  can  ever 
see  any  of  it,  at  any  time.     But  it  is  all  there." 

And  if  we,  through  the  endless  cycles,  are  to 
see  only  a  single  place,  behold  only  a  single  por- 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  THE  FATHER.  217 

tion  of  the  glory  of  God  as  revealed  through  the 
vaulted  heavens;  if  to  us,  called  to  be  princes  of 
royal  blood,  He  is  going  to  show  only  His  foot- 
stool and  His  throne,  not  His  house,  not  His  king- 
dom, filled  with  the  wonders  which  His  fingers 
fashioned;  wherein  can  this  be  to  us  educational 
and  instructive?  How  can  this  be  for  our  highest 
good?  Then  eternal  life  will  be,  not  a  manifesta- 
tion, but  a  hiding  of  His  glory;  an  enforcement  of 
everlasting  ignorance. 

God's  Word  and  His  Works  are  companion  ut- 
terances of  a  mighty  revelation.  But  what  would 
we  think,  if  God,  by  prophets  and  apostles,  were 
to  put  forth  revelations  about  Himself,  then  say, 
"The  Bible  is  a  disclosure  of  my  will  about  you; 
but  all  is  to  be  closed  forever,  so  you  are  never 
to  behold  much  more  than  the  outside  of  the 
book?  These  Scriptures  contain  my  wisdom  and 
express  my  glory.  But  you  never  will  be  per- 
mitted to  read  more  than  one  or  two  verses  of 
them,  at  the  utmost,  to  all  eternity?" 

And  are  we  to  think  that  He  refers  to  His  work 
in  the  star-lit  heavens  of  heavens,  as  a  luminous 
exhibition  of  Himself;  but  never  intends  to  allow 
us  more  than  the  most  rudimentary  knowledge  of 
those  distant  infinitudes,  populous  with  orbs; 
when,  without  knowledge  of  these  wonders  with 
which  He  has  filled  His  empire,  it  is  impossible  for 
us  justly  to  understand,  appreciate,  and  adore  him  ? 
No.  The  universe  is  distinctly  and  repetitiously  re- 


218         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

ferred  to  as  an  exhibition  of  His  wisdom  and 
power.  We  are  called  upon  to  study  it.  We  are 
to  witness  in  it  His  glory.  And,  from  earth,  or 
from  any  local  heaven,  we  can  investigate  His 
works,  and  behold  His  glory,  only  in  the  most 
infinitesimal  way. 

Therefore,  since  the  starry  worlds  reveal  His 
handiwork,  and  declare  His  glory,  there  must  be 
a  fuller  exhibition  of  them  than  is  possible  at  pres- 
ent; or  in  any  limited  Paradise.  We  must  by  and 
by  be  permitted  to  visit  and  investigate  them.  As 
much  as  He  designs  us  to  search  the  Scriptures, 
He  means  us  to  search  and  study  the  stars  and 
suns. 

4.  Observe  what  is  said  about  the  enjoyment 
this  instruction  is  intended  to  produce.  It  is  en- 
joyment of  all  things. 

It  is  necessary  to  notice  some  suggestions  which 
the  Scripture  contains  upon  this  head.  In  Romans 
11;  36,  the  apostle  is  speaking  of  our  salvation  by 
grace;  and  alludes  to  God's  universal  ownership 
and  sovereignty.  'Tor  of  him,  and  through  him, 
and  to  him,  are  all  things,  to  whom  be  glory 
forever."  This  language  comprehends  the  bound- 
less universe.  Of  course  "all  things"  must  include 
those  far-ofif  worlds.  These  are  among  the  pos- 
sessions and  resources  of  the  God  of  grace. 

Later  (II.  Cor.  4;  18),  Paul  is  writing  about  our 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  THE  FATHER.  219 

various  discipline  as  preparatory  for  that  coming 
life.  "The  things  which  are  seen  are  temporal; 
but  the  things  which  are  not  seen  are  eternal." 
Then  (II.  Cor.  6;  lo),  he  speaks  of  himself,  "as 
sorrowful,  yet  alway  rejoicing;  as  poor,  yet  mak- 
ing many  rich;  as  having  nothing,  and  yet  pos- 
sessing all  things."  How  did  he  make  many 
rich  ?  One  way  was  this :  By  bringing  them  into 
enjoyment  of  this  eternal  and  universal  heritage. 
While  he  himself,  though  at  present  having  al- 
most nothing  of  temporal  good,  held  a  title  to  the 
entire  universe.  He  enjoyed  almost  nothing  then, 
but,  a  little  later,  he  was  to  enjoy  it  all. 

And  he  says  to  the  Corinthians  (Epistle  II.  4; 
14-15),  "Knowing  that  he  which  raised  up  the 
Lord  Jesus  shall  raise  up  us  also  by  Jesus,  and  shall 
present  us  with  you.  For  all  things  are  for 
your  sakes,  that  the  abundant  grace  might, 
through  the  thanksgiving  of  many,  redound  to  the 
glory  of  God."  The  "a//  things"  seem  to  be 
what  we  are  to  enjoy  after  death.  As  Christ, 
raised  up,  enjoys  all  things,  so  the  believer,  raised 
up  with  Him,  shall  also  enjoy  all  things. 

Again,  in  Timothy  (I.  6;  17),  Paul  says,  "Charge 
them  that  are  rich  in  this  world,  that  they  be  not 
highminded,  nor  trust  in  uncertain  riches,  but 
in  the  living  God,  who  giveth  us  richly  all 
things  to  enjoy."  He  certainly  does  not  "give 
us  richly  all  things  to  enjoy"  in  this  world.  There- 
fore it  must  be  in  the  world  to  come.     Here  we 


220         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE, 

have  sickness,  trial,  poverty,  and  spiritual  conflict. 
But  there,  health  of  body  and  soul,  abundance  of 
good,  great  happiness,  etc. 

In  these  texts,  the  words  "all  things"  must 
be  all-embracing.  They  must  include  the  dis- 
tant regions  of  God's  boundless  domain,  and 
whatever  those  comprehend.  Are  we  to  enjoy 
them  merely  by  looking  upon  them  through  a  tel- 
escope ?  Then,  by  the  same  reasoning,  how  would 
it  seem,  if  the  promise  that  we  are  to  enjoy  the 
New  Jerusalem  should  prove  to  mean  simply  this, 
that,  from  some  outside  point,  incredibly  distant, 
we  are  to  behold  it  far  away;  and,  over  it,  the 
faint  and  far-off  light  that  betokens  the  presence 
of  God?  Such  a  beholding  of  all  things, 
would  be  like  that  beholding  of  the  glorified 
Christ,  which  is  granted  to  the  lost  sinner,  and 
which  Balaam  described,  when  he  said,  "I  shall  be- 
hold him,  but  not  nigh."     (Num.  24;  17). 

But  enjoyment  of  those  realms  does  not  imply 
merely  recognition  of  the  fact  that  their  starry 
continents  exist,  revealed  to  us  as  distant  sparks 
of  light.  Enjoyment  implies  visitation,  examina- 
tion, acquisition  of  ample  knowledge  about  them, 
satisfaction  of  the  aesthetic  sense  in  beholding  their 
varied  beauties,  and  kindling  of  adoration  from 
contemplating  them  as  the  handiwork  of  God. 

5.  Consider  what  is  promised  about  the  expan- 
sion and  glorification  of  the  believer's  nature. 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  THE  FATHER.  221 

Instruction  and  enjoyment  are  to  be  attended 
with  great  growth  and  honour  for  the  saint. 
"Then  shall  the  righteous  shine  forth  as  the  sun 
in  the  Kingdom  of  their  Father."  (Matt.  13; 
43).  There  shall  be  the  utmost  develop- 
ment, enlargement,  and  splendour  in  their  entire 
being.  This  apotheosis  shall  be,  not  merely  on  His 
foot-stool,  or  even  at  His  throne.  It  shall  be  in 
His  kingdom.  His  entire  domain. 

The  royal  princes  of  God,  are  they  to  be  kept 
forever  from  knowledge  of  their  Father's  works 
in  the  physical  universe,  which  is  flaming  all  about 
them,  and  in  which  they.  His  children,  are  pre- 
eminently distinguished  as  the  sun  is  in  the  heav- 
ens? 

Among  the  material  things  then  known,  the  orb 
of  day  appeared  as  the  most  conspicuous  and  re- 
splendent object  of  the  entire  creation.  To  say 
they  were  to  shine  forth  as  the  sun,  was  to  declare 
that  they  should  shine  forth  with  unparalleled,  in- 
comparable, and  ineffable  glory.  Second  only  to 
Christ,  they  were  to  be  the  most  wonderful  beings 
in  existence. 

The  text  does  not  simply  mean  that  the  entire 
church  is  to  shine  as  the  sun.  The  idea  is  that 
each  individual  saint  shall  thus  shine  forth.  But 
the  sun  requires  for  himself  alone  a  vast  space 
wherein  to  assert  his  regal  dignity.  He  sweeps 
through  the  heavens  with  majestic  motion.  "His 
going  forth  is  from  the  end  of  the  heaven,  and  his 


222         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

circuit  unto  the  ends  of  it :  and  there  is  nothing 
hid  from  the  heat  thereof."  (Ps.  19;  9).  And  this 
motion,  the  most  subHme  of  which  men  then  had 
any  knowledge,  it  fitly  suggestive  of  the  glorious 
range  which  awaits  the  children  of  God.  What 
figure  could  have  been  employed  which  would  give 
a  more  enlarged  idea  of  their  coming  majesty, 
liberty,  and  scope  of  flight? 

But  the  figure  from  the  sun  is  not  so  significant 
as  the  fact  about  that  orb.  For  our  modern 
knowledge  that  the  sun  not  only  seems  to  circle 
through  the  sky,  but  that  sun  and  entire  solar  sys- 
tem are  moving  through  space  with  more  sublime 
and  mighty  sweep  than  the  ancients  ever  dreamed, 
gives  still  grander  import  to  the  text. 

"Through  all  human  history,  nay,  so  far  as  we 
can  discover,  from  the  infancy  of  time,  our  solar 
system — sun,  planets,  and  moons — has  been  flying 
through  space  toward  the  constellation  Lyra  with 
a  speed  of  which  we  have  no  example  on  earth. 
To  form  a  conception  of  this  fact  the  reader  has 
only  to  look  at  the  beautiful  Lyra  and  reflect  that 
for  every  second  that  the  clock  tells  ofif,  we  are 
ten  miles  nearer  to  that  constellation.  Every  day 
that  we  live  we  are  nearer  to  it  by  almost  *  *  * 
a  million  of  miles.  For  every  sentence  that  we 
utter,  for  every  step  that  we  take  in  the  streets 
we  are  miles  nearer  to  this  star.  We  approached 
it  by  tens  of  thousands  of  miles  while  the  writer 
has  been  penning  these  lines,  and  the  reader  has 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  THE  FATHER.  223 

been  carried  nearer  by  a  thousand  miles  while 
perusing  them.  This  has  been  going  on  through 
all  human  history,  and  we  have  reason  to  believe 
that  it  will  remain  true  for  our  remotest  poster- 
ity." (Prof.  Simon  Newcomb.  Astronomy  for 
Everybody,    p.  325). 

Can  the  language  of  inspiration,  having  such 
pronounced  significance,  comport  with  the  idea 
that  the  righteous  are  to  be  confined  forever  in 
some  restricted  spot,  debarred  throughout  eter- 
nity from  remotely  approaching  the  wonders  of 
creation,  which  are  manifest  everywhere?  Or 
even  from  visiting  the  orb  nearest  to  that  on 
which  they  themselves  must  everlastingly  abide? 

The  idea  that  God  has  made  the  boundless  uni- 
verse, with  the  intention  that  it  shall  never  be 
explored,  studied,  or  enjoyed,  by  angels  or  by 
men,  is  unmistakably  contradicted  by  His  plainly 
expressed  purpose  and  promise.     For 

6.  Note  what  is  declared  about  our  final  inherit- 
ance of  the  entire  kingdom  of  God. 

Of  God's  dominion  we  read,  "His  kingdom  rul- 
eth  over  all;"  i.  e.,  all  persons  and  all  things.  (Ps. 
103;  19).  It  is  absolutely  all-comprehending. 
David  says,  "All  that  is  in  the  heaven  and  in  the 
earth  is  thine."  (I.  Chron.  29;  11).  All  things, 
both  material  and  immaterial,  are  His.  Says  the 
Psalmist,  "Thy  kingdom  is  an  everlasting  king- 


224         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

dom,  and  thy  dominion  endureth  throughout  all 
generations."  (Ps.  145;  13).  And  Daniel,  allud- 
ing to  the  stability  of  that  kingdom,  refers  to  it 
as  an  "everlasting  kingdom."  (Chap.  7;  27).  But, 
of  the  final  judgment,  we  are  informed,  "Then 
shall  the  King  say  unto  them  on  his  right  hand, 
come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the  king- 
dom prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the 
world."     (Matt.  35;  34). 

And  what  kingdom  is  this?  We  are  told  (I. 
Thess.  2;  12),  God  "hath  called  you  into  his  king- 
dom and  glory."  The  Revised  Version  reads, 
"calleth  you  into  his  own  kingdom  and  glory." 
God's  own  kingdom  and  glory  then,  are  what  we 
are  to  inherit.  God  bestoweth  upon  us,  as  an  in- 
heritance, not  merely  earth,  and  the  City  above, 
but  the  boundless  empire  of  the  universe,  which 
must  include  the  glory  of  forever  ranging  through* 
it. 

In  an  inheritance  there  is  an  absolute  passage 
of  the  title  from  the  person  who  bequeathes  to 
the  person  who  receives. 

The  title  no  longer  remains  in  the  donor.  It 
passes  to  the  heir.  The  word  "inherit"  is  very 
strong.  It  suggests  that  there  is  such  transmis- 
sion of  the  title;  that  the  giver  has  no  longer  any 
claim  whatever:  but  the  title  is  bestowed  on  the 
recipient.  The  language  implies  that  there  is  al- 
most a  divine  relinquishment  of  title.  Of  course 
the  title  does  not  pass  from  God.     It  remains  in 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  THE  FATHER.  225 

Him.  But  this  language  indicates,  in  the 
strongest  way,  the  complete  manner  in  which  the 
title  is  also  vested  in  His  sons. 

Upon  what  ground  then  can  they  be  forever 
excluded  from  investigation  of  a  kingdom  which' 
they  are  themselves  to  own?  If  they  are  thus  to 
inherit  it,  surely  they  must  have  amplest  ability  to 
acquire  knowledge  of  it.  They  will  have  the  op- 
portunity of  journeying  through  their  own  king- 
dom, and  enjoying  it  forever. 

In  view  of  such  language  on  the  page  of  inspira- 
tion, how  shallow  is  any  reasoning  that  our  eternal 
inheritance  will  be  confined  to  any  single  sphere ! 

If  a  multi-millionaire — a  man  worth  fifty  mil- 
lions, declared  in  his  will  that  his  children  were 
to  inherit  all  his  estate;  when  the  time  came  for 
his  will  to  be  operative,  would  the  executor  say 
to  the  heirs,  "According  to  the  provisions  of  your 
father's  will,  I  hand  to  each  one  of  you  the  sum 
of  one  dollar  ?"  And  if  God  calls  us  to  inherit  His 
kingdom  and  His  glory;  and  that  kingdom  in- 
cludes, to  our  knowledge,  over  a  hundred  million 
worlds,  and  that  glory  includes,  as  one  of  its  ele- 
ments, authority  over  and  enjoyment  of  these 
worlds,  upon  what  ground,  shall  it  be  affirmed 
that  we  are  to  receive  only  some  one  of  them, 
which  may  be  the  seat  of  a  local  heaven,  while 
the  boundless  universe  billows  away  beyond  it; 
and  of  that,  to  all  eternity,  we  shall  know  almost 
nothing. 


226         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

Any  such  restrictive  interpretation  seems  to  be 
designedly  and  emphatically  excluded  by  the  lan- 
guage which  rings  out,  in  mighty  organ  tones,  in 
the  closing  chapters  of  Revelation.  The  Chris- 
tian's inheritance  is  not  limited  to  any  one  sphere, 
or  any  one  portion  of  the  universe  of  God.  "He 
that  overcometh  shall  inherit  all  things;  and 
I  will  be  his  God,  and  he  shall  be  my  son."  (Ch. 
21 ;  7). 

It  doesn't  say  that  he  shall  inherit  a  few  things, 
or  some  things,  or  a  single  city,  or  star,  or 
cluster  of  spheres,  but — without  limitation — "all 
things." 

And  this  accords  with  the  Revised  Version, 
which  reads  thus  (Rev.  21;  5-7):  "He  that  sitteth 
on  the  throne  said,  behold,  I  make  all  things 
new.  *  *  He  that  overcometh  shall  inherit 
these  things;  and  I  will  be  his  God,  and  he 
shall  be  my  son."  God  will  make  new  "all  things." 
And  he  that  overcometh  shall  inherit  these  things, 
i.  e.,  "all  things."  Through  all  its  future  changes, 
the  universe  shall  belong  to  the  glorified  saints. 

The  title  to  "all  things"  is  primarily  in  God  Him- 
self. He  voluntarily  bestows  that  title  upon  us. 
And  the  inheritance  covers  "all  things" — the  en- 
tire cosmos.     Nothing  whatever  is  excepted. 

These  prophesies  are  among  the  strongest,  most 
comprehensive,  and  most  unmistakable  in  the 
Scripture.  Thus  most  clearly  is  presented  the 
doctrine   that   our   future   possessions   are   to   be 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  THE  FATHER.  227 

measured  only  by  infinity  of  space  and  everlast- 
ing duration  in  time. 

Thus  what  is  taught  about  our  relations  to  the 
Father,  the  Supreme  Ruler  of  Creation,  makes  it 
absolutely  certain  that  man  redeemed  is  to  have 
an  inheritance  which  is  coterminous  with  the 
whole  boundless  empire  of  God.  And  it  is  to  en- 
dure forever.  Such  inheritance  implies  the  power, 
privilege,  and  pleasure  of  traversing  and  exploring 
all  portions  of  that  universe;  and  of  enjoying  all 
things  that  are  therein. 

What  further  argument  is  required  ?  Neverthe- 
less we  will  present  other  evidences  equally  incon- 
testable. 


CHAPTER  X 

THAT  GLORIFIED  SAINTS  WILL  POSSESS  AND  ENJOY 
THE  ENTIRE  CREATION,  IS  PROVED  BY  WHAT  THE 
BIBLE  TEACHES  ABOUT  CHRIST  AND  OUR  RELA- 
TIONS TO   HIM. 

I.  Consider  Christ's  disposition  and  feelings  to- 
ward us  as  friends. 

I.  Remember  what  the  Word  declares  about 
Christ's  love  for  us,  as  shown  by  His  willingness 
to  lay  down  His  life  in  atonement  for  our  sins. 
The  highest  proof  of  affection  love  can  give,  is 
readiness  to  suffer  for  the  loved  one.  And  He 
cherished  for  us  the  highest  love  that  even  the 
divine  heart  could  feel  for  its  creatures.  The 
divine  nature  could  not  die.  But  the  divine  being 
could  take  a  human  nature;  then  this  divine  per- 
son could  die  in  that  human  nature,  to  show  His 
love  for  us.  "Greater  love  hath  no  man  than  this, 
that  a  man  lay  down  his  life  for  his  friends.  Ye 
are  my  friends,  if  ye  do  whatsoever  I  command 
you."     (John  15;  13-14). 

He  has  for  us  the  highest  love  that  can  exist 

228 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  CHRIST.  229 

in  an  infinite  nature  for  a  finite  nature.  Thus 
Christ  has  given  us  the  strongest  possible  evidence 
of  His  love  that  even  a  divine  being  can  conceive 
and  carry  out  toward  human  beings.  He  has  ac- 
tually given  us  Himself.  Then  can  He,  who  has 
filled  the  universe  with  such  marvels  of  His  crea- 
tive skill,  manifest  not  the  least  desire  that  we 
should  understand  them,  for  profit  and  for  pleas- 
ure? His  material  possessions  are  as  nothing  in 
value,  when  compared  with  Himself.  Willingness 
to  give  Himself,  must  carry  with  it  willingness  to 
let  us  enjoy  His  material  kingdom  also. 

As  if  a  potentate,  who  so  loved  a  friend  as  to 
be  willing  to  die  for  him,  and  to  invite  him  to  live 
forever  at  court,  would  not  allow  that  friend  to 
journey  through  the  country  over  which  that  mon- 
arch reigned  with  undisputed  sway.  Since  the 
Son  of  God  voluntarily  chose  to  sacrifice  His  life 
in  expiation  for  our  sins,  and  has  invited  us  to 
behold  His  face,  to  dwell  forever  in  His  radiant 
presence,  the  idea  that  He  will  not  allow  us,  no 
longer  sinners  but  ransomed  saints,  to  behold  and 
study  the  universe  which  He  has  made  and  owns, 
seems  a  manifest  absurdity.  Therefore  we  unhesi- 
tatingly argue  that  His  spirit  toward  us  must  be 
one  willing  to  let  us  explore  and  enjoy  His  ma- 
terial domains. 

What  the  Bible  teaches  about  Christ's  love  for 
the  redeemed  merely  as  friends,  would  alone  be 
enough  to  warrant  belief  that  He  will  permit  us 


230        THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

to  journey  through  His  empire.  No  cogent  ar- 
gument can  be  adduced  against  it.  When  we  re- 
member the  power  of  far-distant  journeying 
which  He  has  given  to  the  glorified  saints,  simply 
His  interest  in  us  as  friends  would  be  a  sufTficient 
basis,  for  the  belief  that  He  will  allow  us  to  ex- 
plore every  circling  sphere  His  eye  beholds. 

And,  if  He  is  willing,  that  is  final.  Who  can 
gainsay  Him?     For 

2.   He  has  ability  to  do  what  He  desires. 

Christ,  the  Head  of  the  Church,  is  also  the  King 
of  the  Cosmos. 

"For  by  him  were  all  things  created,  that 
are  in  heaven,  and  that  are  in  earth,  visible  and  in- 
visible, whether  they  be  thrones,  or  dominions,  or 
principalities,  or  powers:  all  things  were  created 
by  him,  and  for  him :  And  he  is  before  all  things, 
and  by  him  all  things  consist."  (Col.  i;  16-17). 
"All  things  are  delivered  unto  me  of  my  Father." 
(Matt.  11;  27). 

"All  power  is  given  unto  me  in  heaven  and  in 
earth."  (Matt.  28;  18).  Plainly  this  means  all 
power  throughout  the  universe.  He  has  absolute 
control  over  the  cosmos,  and  everything  in  it,  ex- 
cept God.  God  and  He  are  in  perfect  accord.  He 
is  able  to  do  all  that  He  desires  to  do  toward  giv- 
ing His  saints  participation  in  the  glory  which  He 
Himself  enjoys. 


PROM  RELATIONS  TO  CHRIST.  231 

3.  Note  also  His  plain  statements  and  the 
necessary  inferences  from  them. 

Leaving  deductions  from  His  disposition  toward 
the  saints,  and  from  the  conceded  fact  that  He  has 
power  to  let  us  see  and  enjoy  the  cosmos;  what 
is  the  plain  utterance  of  Scripture  about  His  pur- 
pose toward  us  ?  What  is  His  own  statement  and 
declaration?  "The  Father  loveth  the  Son,  and 
hath  given  all  things  into  his  hand."  (Jno.  3;  35). 
"As  the  Father  hath  loved  me,  so  have  I  loved 
you."  (Jno.  15;  9).  But  it  was  not  possible  that 
the  Father  should  have  for  any  one  greater  love 
than  He  had  for  Christ.  Not  possible  that  there 
should  be,  in  any  respect,  any  greater  or  more 
wonderful  love  than  this.  It  is  not  possible  to 
conceive  any  greater  love  than  the  Father's  for 
the  Son.  So  here  is  a  most  overwhelming  asser- 
tion. As  the  divine  Father  loved  the  divine  Son; 
even  so,  as  it  were,  with  that  same  love,  exalted, 
constant,  and  infinite;  such  as  would  go  out  from 
one  divine  being  toward  another  divine  being;  has 
the  Son  loved  us. 

How  much  did  the  Father  love  the  Son? 
Enough  to  give  all  things  into  His  hand.  There- 
fore the  Son  loves  us  enough  to  give  all  things 
into  our  hands.  Christ  says,  "All  that  the  Father 
hath  is  mine."  (Jno.  16;  15).  Very  good.  Then 
all  that  Christ  hath  is  ours.     Thus  we  have  seen 


232        THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

Christ's  necessary  attitude  toward  us,  merely  as 
His  friends. 

II.  Arguments  from  another  class  of  texts,  sug- 
gesting other  human  relations  to  Christ. 

I.   We  are  heirs  with  Christ. 

"And  Moses  verily  was  faithful  in  all  his  house, 
as  a  servant,  for  a  testimony  of  those  things  which 
were  to  be  spoken  after;  But  Christ  as  a  son  over 
his  ozvn  house;  whose  house  are  we,  if  we  hold  fast 
the  confidence  and  the  rejoicing  of  the  hope  firm 
unto  the  end."  (Heb.  3;  5-6).  Notice  this  lan- 
guage, "Christ  as  a  son  over  his  ozvn  house;  whose 
house  are  we."  This  brings  us  nearer  than  mere 
friends.     We  are  His  house  and  family. 

But  consider  what  is  involved  in  the  family  rela- 
tion which  He  sustains  to  us.  He  says,  "Whoso- 
ever shall  do  the  will  of  my  Father  which  is  in 
heaven,  the  same  is  my  brother,  and  sister,  and 
mother."  (Matt.  12;  50).  Here  He  introduces 
(a)  the  fraternal  relation  in  both  its  aspects;  the 
relation  between  brother  and  brother,  also  that  be- 
tween brother  and  sister.  Like  the  tie  which  binds 
brother  to  brother,  and  brother  to  sister,  is  the 
bond  between  Him  and  us.  With  this  is  also  as- 
sociated (b)  the  relation  between  Christ  and  the 
only  human  being  to  whom  He  ever  stood  in  the 
relation  of  own  son — his  mother.     Strong  as  the 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  CHRIST.  233 

tie  between  Christ  and  His  mother,  is  the  tie  be- 
tween Christ  and  us.  And  love  Hke  that  where- 
with He  would  regard  His  own  brother,  His  own 
sister,  or  His  own  mother — such  love  He  cherishes 
toward  whomsoever  will  do  the  will  of  His  Father' 
which  is  in  Heaven. 

With  such  love  toward  us  in  His  heart,  and  with 
all  power  over  us  in  His  hands,  how  is  it  conceiv- 
able that,  throughout  eternity,  He  should  never 
permit  us  to  behold  more  than  one  world  of  the 
many  million  spheres  over  which  He  is  supreme? 
Irresistibly  are  we  driven  to  the  conviction  that 
there  will  be  a  sharing  with  us  of  the  privileges 
which  he  enjoys.  We  are  to  share  His  posses- 
sions and  His  glory. 

"God  *  *  hath  in  these  last  few  days  spoken 
unto  us  by  his  Son,  whom  he  hath  appointed 
heir  of  all  things,  by  whom  also  he  made 
the  worlds.  Who,  being  the  brightness  of  his 
glory,  and  the  express  image  of  his  person,  and 
upholding  all  things  by  the  word  of  his  power, 
when  he  had  by  himself  purged  our  sins,  sat  down 
on  the  right  hand  of  the  Majesty  on  high.  (Heb. 
i;  2-3).  The  phrase  "heir  of  all  things"  cer- 
tainly includes  the  cosmos.  First  Christ  is  said 
to  have  created  all  things.  Or  God  by  Christ 
hath  created  all  things.  Then  God  made  Christ 
heir  of  all  things;  in  other  words,  has  given  all 
things  to  Christ;  and  made  him  head  of  the  king- 
dom of  the  universe.    Christ  is  head  of  God's  uni- 


234        THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

versal  empire.  "That  in  the  dispensation  of  the 
fulness  of  times  he  might  gather  together  in  one 
all  things  in  Christ,  both  which  are  in  heaven,  and 
which  are  on  earth;  even  in  him."  (Eph.  i;  lo). 

But  we  are  the  family  of  the  heir.  We  inherit 
from  Him,  through  Him,  with  Him.  And  each 
one  of  us  may  recognize  this  fact  of  our  relation 
to  Christ  and  God.  We  are  Christ's  brethren. 
"Wherefore  thou  art  no  more  a  servant,  but  a 
son;  and,  if  a  son,  then  an  heir  of  God  through 
Christ."  (Gal.  4;  7).  We  also  are  heirs  of 
all  things  in  much  the  same  sense  in  which 
Christ  is  heir,  and  to  the  same  extent. 

We  are  heirs,  not  of  any  local  paradise,  or  any 
single  star,  or  group  of  stars,  but  of  the  entire  all- 
comprehending  cosmos.  That  the  children  of  God 
are  to  be  forever  shut  out  from  enjoyment  of  the 
all-embracing  kingdom  of  Christ,  a  kingdom  of 
which  they  are  declared  to  be  heirs;  is  a  thing  in- 
credible. 

We  are  to  own  yon  stars  and  suns  as  Christ 
does.  They  belong  to  us.  Upon  what  ground 
then  argue  that  we  are  never  to  know  more  than 
one  or  two  spheres  out  of  the  millions  of  jewelled 
orbs  that  sparkle  in  the  illimitable  kingdoms  of 
the  skies? 

To  us,  by  like  title  as  to  Christ,  come  the  king- 
doms of  the  universe.  As  Christ  owns  the  cos- 
mos, so  we  own  it  with  Him.  We  have  here,  not 
the  idea  of  merely  being  permitted  to  behold  it, 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  CHRIST.  235 

and  study  it.  We  own  it,  in  fee  simple,  by  in- 
disputable right  and  title,  the  same  as  those  be- 
stowed on  Christ.  God,  through  Christ,  created 
it;  then  gave  it  to  Christ  and  to  us.  When  Christ 
becomes  heir,  His  heritage  is  the  illimitable  cos- 
mos, and  everything  which  it  contains.  So,  when 
we  become  heirs  with  Him,  we  receive  that  same 
cosmos,  with  all  that  is  therein.  Each  glorified 
saint  shall  have  as  much  right  and  power  to  range 
through  the  universe  as  has  the  glorified  Christ. 

2.  Now  comes  another  figure,  that  drawn  from 
the  conjugal  relation. 

This  tie  is  even  stronger  than  that  between 
children  of  the  same  family,  or  between  child  and 
parent.  "For  this  cause  shall  a  man  leave  father 
and  mother,  and  shall  cleave  to  his  wife;  and  they 
twain  shall  be  one  flesh.  Wherefore  they  are  no 
more  twain,  but  one  flesh.  What,  therefore,  God 
hath  joined  together,  let  not  man  put  asunder." 
(Matt.  19;  5-6). 

This  union,  so  near  and  dear,  is  taken  to  repre- 
sent the  sacred  spiritual  union  between  Christ  and 
His  Church.  Christ  is  the  bridegroom,  the 
Church  is  the  bride.  God  says,  "As  the  bride- 
groom rejoiceth  over  the  bride,  so  shall  thy  God 
rejoice  over  thee."  (Is.  62;  5).  "Let  us  be  glad 
and  rejoice,  and  give  honour  to  him;  for  the  mar- 
riage of  the  Lamb  is  come,  and  his  wife  hath  made 


236         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

herself  ready."  (Rev.  19;  7).  And  the  angel  said 
to  John,  "Come  hither;  I  will  show  thee  the 
bride,  the  Lamb's  wife."     (Rev,  21;  9). 

If  the  strength  and  tenderness  of  the  relations 
between  Christ  and  His  Church  are  represented 
by  the  conjugal  tie,  consider  the  bearing  of  this 
truth  upon  the  subject  we  are  discussing.  He 
loves  the  glorified  Church  as  the  bridegroom 
loves  his  bride.  The  bridegroom  and  the  bride  are 
one  flesh.  But,  though  He  is  master  of  all  the  un- 
counted worlds  that  fly  through  space,  will  He 
never  allow  the  Church  to  go  beyond  the  limits 
of  some  single  one;  however  much  the  Church 
may  desire  to  do  so?  The  bridegroom  owns  over 
a  hundred  millions  of  worlds.  But,  though  he 
loved  the  bride  enough  to  lay  down  His  life  for 
her,  shall  she  never  be  permitted  to  see  more 
than  one  world  out  of  the  hundred  millions?  The 
home  of  the  divine  bridegroom  is  the  universe. 
But  is  His  beloved  bride  to  be  restricted  forever 
to  a  single  apartment  of  it?  Such  an  idea  must 
be  instantly  rejected. 

3.   He  is  the  Head.    We  are  the  members. 

We  are  taught  that  Christ  is  so  to  administer 
all  things,  that  the  Church  may  unreservedly  profit 
by  them,  and  enjoy  them. 

"And  he  is  the  head  of  the  body,  the  church; 
who  is  the  beginning,  the  firstborn  from  the  dead; 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  CHRIST.  237 

that  in  all  things  he  might  have  the  preeminence. 
For  it  pleased  the  Father  that  in  him  should  all 
fullness  dwell."  (Col.  i;  18-19).  "That  ye  may 
know  *  *  *  according  to  the  working  of  his  mighty 
power,  which  he  wrought  in  Christ,  when  he 
raised  him  from  the  dead,  and  set  him  at  his 'own 
right  hand  in  the  heavenly  places,  far  above  all 
principality,  and  power,  and  might,  and  dominion, 
and  every  name  that  is  named,  not  only  in  this 
world,  but  also  in  that  which  is  to  come;  and  hath 
put  all  things  under  his  feet,  and  gave  him  to  be 
the  head  over  all  things  to  the  Church,  which  is  his 
body,  the  fullness  of  him  that  filleth  all  in  all." 
(Eph.  i;  18-23). 

We  will  here  notice  three  points. 

First.    He  is  head  over  all  things. 

The  phrase  "heavenly  places"  is  not  merely  the 
local  heaven,  but  the  whole  heavens.  The  phrase 
**hath  set  him  at  his  right  hand,"  means  hath 
clothed  Him  with  supreme  power.  God  hath  put 
Him  in  authority  over  everything  in  the  heavens 
of  heavens — in  the  cosmos. 

Second.  Here  is  still  greater  nearness  and  deaf- 
ness. In  the  preceding  section,  we  were  the 
brothers  of  Christ,  joint  heirs  with  Him.  Again 
the  Church  was  His  bride.  But  now  we  are  His 
body — "the  body  of  Christ,  and  members  in  par- 
ticular." 


238         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

About  the  meaning  of  the  phrase  "him  that 
filleth  all  in  all,"  there  are  various  views.  Ellicott 
says,  "The  Church  is  the  veritable  mystical  body 
of  Christ,  yea  the  recipient  of  the  plenitudes  of 
Him  that  filleth  all  things,  whether  in  heaven  or 
on  earth,  with  all  the  things,  elements,  and  en- 
tities with  which  they  are  composed."  It  may 
mean  that  He  filleth  with  His  presence  all  things 
in  all  places.  For  certainly  He  does  fill  the  Church 
and  the  universe  with  His  presence.  And  the 
Church  embraces  men  after,  as  well  as  before 
death.  But,  as  the  human  spirit  has  the  human 
body,  by  which  that  spirit  is  made  manifest;  so 
Christ's  spirit  has  the  Church  as  His  body.  And 
by  this,  as  one  thing.  He  is  manifested  throughout 
the  entire  universe. 

"He  that  descended  is  the  same  also  that  as- 
cended up  far  above  all  heavens,  that  he  might 
fill  all  things."  (Eph.  4;  10).  With  His  glori- 
fied body.  He  was  to  fill  and  occupy  the  uni- 
verse. He  was  already  filling  all  things  with  His 
spiritual  presence.  With  His  physical  presence 
He  could  not  fill  all  things.  But  His  glorified 
body,  the  Church,  could  be  manifested  every- 
where. "For  he  hath  put  oil  things  under  his  feet. 
But  when  he  saith  all  things  are  put  under  him,  it 
is  manifest  that  he  is  excepted,  which  did  put  all 
things  under  him.  And  when  all  things  shall  be 
subdued  unto  him,  then  shall  the  Son  also  himself 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  CHRIST.  239 

be  subject  unto  him  that  put  all  things  under  him, 
that  God  may  be  all  in  all."    (I.  Cor.  15;  27-28). 

This  means  that  Christ  is  to  have  sovereignty 
over  everything  in  the  universe  except  God,  over 
all  spiritual  beings,  over  all  material  substances. 
In  this  sense,  He  hath  put  all  things  under  His 
feet.  The  universe  is  under  His  feet.  It  is  con- 
trolled by  Him.  But  His  own  body  is  not  under 
His  feet.  That  is  part  of  Himself.  It  is  above 
His  feet.  It  is  only  lower  than  the  head.  Here 
again,  by  this  figure,  the  Church  is  represented  as 
superior  in  importance  to  the  universe,  and  as 
above  the  universe.  Because  His  body  is  part  of 
Himself. 

Third.  Christ  is  head  over  "all  things"  to  the 
Church. 

He  is  going  so  to  administer  "all  things,"  that 
the  Church  may  receive  from  them  the  highest  ad- 
vantage and  pleasure. 

There  is  necessary  at  present,  and  probably  will 
be  necessary  to  eternity,  the  cooperation  of  mind 
with  matter,  of  the  spiritual  with  the  material;  for 
the  highest  perfection,  usefulness,  and  joy  of  our 
finite  human  life.  In  our  present  condition,  and 
apparently  in  our  final  glorified  state,  matter  must 
play  its  part  as  subservient  to  spirit.  Matter 
never  sins.  Only  spirit  has  the  power  of  sinning. 
The  bodies  of  Adam  and  Eve  were  created  holy. 


240         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE, 

Christ's  body  was  holy,  both  before  and  after  His 
resurrection.  It  was  always  holy.  The  Bible  does 
not  despise  the  physical,  but  dignifies  and  sancti- 
fies it.  "Know  ye  not  that  your  body  is  the  tem- 
ple of  the  Holy  Ghost  which  is  in  you,  which  ye 
have  of  God?"  (I.  Cor.  6;  19).  The  risen  body 
will  be  His  temple  more  emphatically  still,  His 
temple  cleansed  and  purified.  The  risen  bodies 
contain  matter.  Christ's  risen  body  was  not  a 
phantom,  a  mere  spirit.  It  was  not  immaterial. 
He  ate  the  broiled  fish  and  the  honey  comb.  Peter 
said,  "God  shewed  him  openly  *  *  to  us,  who  did 
eat  and  drink  with  him,  after  he  rose  from  the 
dead."  (Acts  10;  40-41).  His  body  was  refreshed 
with  new  matter.  It  was  material.  Christ  said, 
"Handle  me  and  see,  for  a  spirit  hath  not  flesh 
and  bones,  as  ye  see  me  have."  We  are  to  eat 
the  fruit  of  the  tree  of  life,  drink  the  water  of  life. 
Our  bodies  are  to  be  refreshed  with  new  matter. 

Therefore  Christ  is  head  over  all  things 
to  a  Church  whose  members  have  bodies,  com- 
posed of  matter.  He  administers  all  things  in  the 
interest  of  beings  of  this  composite  character. 
Therefore  he  must  administer  things  material. 

So  He  is  not  head  over  merely  spiritual  things. 
The  Church  is  affected  by  physical  and  material 
things  also.  To  be  head  over  all  things  to  the 
Church;  impHes  ability  to  divide  the  Red  Sea,  that 
the  Church  may  pass  through;  to  bring  manna 
from  the  clouds  and  water  from  the  rock,   that 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  CHRIST.  241 

the  Church  may  have  food  and  drink.  It  means 
power  to  cause  earth  to  open  and  swallow  up  dis- 
turbers; to  turn  back  the  currents  of  the  Jordan, 
and  to  fulfill  the  promises  of  blessing  upon  those 
who  pay  tithes  to  God.  For  there  is  a  declaration 
that  natural  forces  not  under  human  control  shall 
be  overruled  for  the  good  of  the  tithe-payer. 
"Bring  ye  all  the  tithes  into  the  storehouse,  that 
there  may  be  meat  in  mine  house,  and  prove  me 
now  herewith,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  if  I  will  not 
open  you  the  windows  of  heaven,  and  pour  you 
out  a  blessing,  that  there  shall  not  be  room  enough 
to  receive  it.  And  I  will  rebuke  the  devourer  for 
your  sakes,  and  he  shall  not  destroy  the  fruits  of 
your  ground;  neither  shall  your  vine  cast  her  fruit 
before  the  time  in  the  field,  saith  the  Lord  of 
hosts."    (Malachi  3;  lo-ii). 

It  implies  ability  to  calm  the  tempests  that  raged 
upon  Gennesaret;  to  work  all  miracles  in  external 
nature;  actively  to  exercise  entire  dominion  over 
all  material  things  at  all  times;  ability  to  sustain 
in  its  place  this  earth,  which  is  one  theatre  of  the 
life  of  the  Church.  But,  to  sustain  that  in  its 
place,  there  must  be  control  over  the  distant  orbs 
by  which  gravitation  holds  the  earth  along  its  or- 
bit. Then  over  other  orbs  which  hold  those  in 
place. 

If  there  is  a  local  heaven,  a  City  of  God,  as  all' 
evangelical  bodies  believe  the  Bible  to  teach  there 
is,  it  must  be  now  situated  upon  some  other  world, 


242         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

and  a  great  multitude  of  orbs  must  conspire  by 
gravitation  to  keep  that  in  place. 

The  stars  in  their  courses  fight  for  the  Church. 
The  whole  economy  of  nature,  of  creation, 
throughout  the  entire  universe,  must  stand  at  His 
disposal,  move  at  His  behest,  in  carrying  out  the 
economy  of  redemption,  and  the  continued  reve- 
lations of  His  will. 

If  He  made  such  fearful  sacrifices  to  give  the 
Church  knowledge  and  enjoyment  of  spiritual 
things,  which  are  of  such  paramount  importance, 
is  it  credible  that  He  will  withold  from  the  Church 
knowledge  of  the  material  mechanism  without 
which  spiritual  things  cannot  be  enjoyed,  and  can 
be  but  partly  understood.  Surely  not.  But  ex- 
perience shows  that  the  only  way  in  which  we 
ever  have  obtained  much  knowledge  of  that 
mechanism  in  the  past,  was  by  personal  study,  ob- 
servation, investigation  and  research.  That  has 
been  God's  method  of  revealing  it  to  us  hitherto. 

Christ  administers  the  cosmos  in  the  interest  of 
His  body — the  Church.  The  body  is  associated 
with  the  head  in  command  over  the  entire  crea- 
tion. The  Church  is  to  possess  and  enjoy  the  uni- 
verse. Of  course  Christ,  the  head  of  the  Church, 
has  a  right  to  journey  through  creation  at  any  in- 
stant. It  follows  that  glorified  saints,  being  mem- 
bers of  the  body  of  Christ,  must  have  the  same 
right  to  explore  it  at  will. 

Those  distant  constellations  no  more  exhaust 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  CHRIST.  243 

their  obligation  to  us,  by  helping  to  hold  this 
world  in  its  orbit,  or  the  sphere  of  the  local  Heaven 
in  its  place,  than  this  globe  fulfills  its  mission  to 
us  simply  by  keeping  us  from  flying  off  into  space. 
The  globe  feeds,  clothes,  educates,  and  delights 
us;  affords  a  field  for  very  great  and  wonderful  ac- 
tivities. So  shall  every  orb  in  Heaven  variously 
contribute  to  our  future  development  and  hap- 
piness. For  Christ  and  His  Church,  the  stars  in 
their  courses  shine. 

On  earth  my  training  is  begun. 

I  then  shall  heaven's  marvels  see. 
My  soul  shall  range  from  sun  to  sun. 

Led  on  by  Him  who  died  for  me. 

My  growth  in  life  shall  ne'er  be  done. 
~     No  end  shall  come,  there's  ever  more. 
Long  as  the  countless  cycles  run, 
Still  must  I  wonder  and  adore. 

HL  Christ,  teaching  a  oneness  of  believers  with 
Himself  more  complete  than  can  be  expressed  by 
merely  human  or  physical  relation,  compares  it  to 
that  which  exists  between  Himself  and  the  Father. 

I.   The  Character  of  this  Oneness. 

Christ,  about  to  leave  the  world,  prays  for  His 
disciples.      He   says,    "Neither   pray   I   for   these 


244        THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

alone,  but  for  them  also  which  shall  believe  on 
me  through  their  word."  (Jno,  17;  20).  That  is, 
the  whole  body  of  believers  to  the  end  of  time. 
And  there  will  be  included  also  the  believers  of 
the  Old  Testament  Church,  Christ's  prayer  is  for 
His  entire  Church,  through  all  the  ages. 

"That  they  all  may  be  one;  as  thou.  Father,  art 
in  me,  and  I  in  thee,  that  they  also  may  be  one 
in  us:  that  the  world  may  believe  that  thou  hast 
sent  me."  (Verse  21).  What  is  the  nature  of  this 
oneness?  It  would  be  difficult,  if  not  impossible, 
to  conceive  of  any  closer  union  between  two  in- 
telligent beings  than  that  which  exists  between 
the  divine  Father  and  the  divine  Son.  They  are 
the  same  in  substance,  equal  in  power  and  glory; 
united  in  thought,  feeling,  and  action.  God  and 
Christ  are  one  in  nature,  powers,  possessions,  and 
privileges.  Though  in  office  work  there  are  some 
distinctions. 

The  disciples  are  not  to  be  one  in  Christ  in  the 
sense  of  being  absolutely  identical  in  nature,  liter- 
ally divine.  Though  there  seems  to  be  a  growing 
likeness  to  Him  in  nature.  But  they  are  to  be 
one  in  thought,  feeling,  privileges  and  action. 

Not  merely  that  they  may  be  one  with  one  an- 
other, that  the  Church  may  be  one  in  itself; 
though  this  is  included,  and  follows  from  the  one- 
ness with  Christ.  It  is  that  they,  the  entire 
Church,  may  be  one  in  Christ,  one  in  God;  so 
that  the  Church  may  be  one  with  Christ,  and  with 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  CHRIST,  24S 

God;  as  Christ  and  God  are  one  with  each  other. 
As  regards  spiritual  things,  this  is  oneness  in 
thought,  feehng,  purpose,  affection,  action  and 
life.  As  regards  physical  things,  it  is  oneness  in 
position,  sovereignty,  privileges  and  possessions. 

2.  The  Consequences  of  this  Oneness. 

"Father,  I  will  that  they  also,  whom  thou  hast 
given  me,  be  with  me  where  I  am;  that  they  may 
behold  my  glory,  which  thou  hast  given  me :  for 
thou  lovedst  me  before  the  foundation  of  the 
world."  (Jno.  17;  24).  The  Church  is  to  be  taken 
into  the  other  world,  into  which  Christ  is  going. 
That  they  may  be  where  He  is,  and  there  behold, 
admire,  and  enjoy  His  glory. 

First.     They  are  to  behold  His  glory. 

Through  eternity  we  hope  to  contemplate  with 
admiration,  love,  and  reverence,  the  splendours  of 
His  glorified  presence.  But  His  glory  is  not 
merely  the  effulgence  of  His  divine  person,  as  the 
disciples  beheld  it  on  Mount  Hermon;  Paul  saw 
it  at  the  Damascus  gate;  and  John  had  a  vision  of 
it  in  Revelation.  His  glory  fills  the  universe.  It 
is  the  display  of  His  sovereignty  over  the  works 
which  His  hands  have  made;  and  His  amazing  ad- 
ministration of  them.  John  declares,  "There  are 
also  many  other  things  which  Jesus  did,  the  which, 


246        THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

if  they  should  be  written  every  one,  I  suppose 
that  even  the  world  itself  could  not  contain  the 
books  that  should  be  written."   (Jno.  21;  25). 

If  Christ's  deeds  through  three  brief  years  were 
so  abundant  as  to  be  spoken  of  with  this  tremen- 
dous hyperbole;  how  absurd  is  the  idea  that,  to 
all  eternity,  His  exhibitions  of  His  deeds  and 
works  can  be  confined  to  the  space  of  some  local 
Paradise,  or  some  one  sphere;  and  that  this  will 
be  sufficient  to  exhibit  all  He  is  to  do.  Such  limi- 
tation is  incredible. 

In  order  to  see  Christ's  glory,  it  is  necessary  that 
we  should  see  His  mighty  works  throughout 
the  cosmos;  it  is  necessary  that  we  should  explore, 
study,  and  investigate  the  universe.  This  is  part 
of  what  is  meant  by  beholding  His  glory.  This  is 
to  be  part  of  our  occupation  through  the  unending 
cycles. 

Second.    They  are  to  be  with  Him  where  He  is. 

"I  will  that  they  also,  whom  thou  hast  given  me, 
be  with  me  where  I  am."  Christ's  human  body 
and  spirit  may  be  anywhere.  Well  reasons  Elli- 
cott,  "Christ  is  perfect  God;  perfect  and  glorified 
man.  As  the  former.  He  is  present  everywhere, 
as  the  latter  He  can  be  present  anywhere."  If 
Christ's  words  mean  that  the  Church  is  to  be  with 
Him  where  His  human  body  is,  then,  since  that 
body  may  be  anywhere,  the  Church  must  be  able 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  CHRIST.  247 

to  go  anywhere.  If  His  brethren  are  to  be  where 
His  human  spirit  is,  then  His  brethren  may  be 
anywhere. 

But  His  divine  Spirit  is  everywhere.  Otherwise 
it  would  be  impossible  for  Him  to  administer  the 
Cosmos,  to  exercise  His  all-comprehending  do- 
minion. Then  His  mystic  body  (the  Church)  may 
be  everywhere.  For  this  is  the  fullness  or  mani- 
festation of  Him  that  filleth  all  in  all.  And  glori- 
fied saints,  members  of  His  body,  may  journey 
everywhither. 

Third.  They  are  to  share  His  glory  in  moral 
and  intellectual  things. 

For  please  note  v.  22.  "And  the  glory  which 
thou  gavest  me,  I  have  given  them,  that  they  may 
be  one,  even  as  we  are  one."    (Jno.  17;  22). 

As  we  have  already  seen,  His  glory  is  not 
merely  the  splendours  of  His  radiant  person.  But 
part  of  His  glory  is  the  possession  of  indestructi- 
ble and  eternal  life.  And  He  says,  "I  am  come 
that  they  might  have  life;  and  that  they  might 
have  it  more  abundantly."    (Jno.  6;  20). 

But  this  life  is  not  merely  holiness,  or  any  other 
moral  attribute  or  quality.  There  are  highest 
moral  qualities  in  that  life.  But  life  itself  must 
precede  holiness  of  life.  The  existence  of  holi- 
ness presupposes  the  existence  of  intellectual, 
emotional,  and  volitive  activities,  which  have  the 


248         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

quality  of  holiness.  Hence  the  life  which  the 
saints  are  to  have,  have  more  abundantly,  have 
forever;  does  not  mean  eternal  repression  of  intel- 
lect, heart  and  will.  It  means  increase  of  intellec- 
tual, emotional,  and  volitive  abiHties;  endless 
growth  and  development  of  mental  powers  and  at- 
tainments. 

This  cannot  be  obtained  by  study  of  mind  alone, 
even  of  the  mind  of  God,  though  that  is  one  thing 
we  are  to  study.  Indeed  any  study  of  the  divine 
mind  makes  little  progress,  unless  it  takes  cogni- 
zance of  the  works  which  that  mind  has  produced 
in  matter,  in  uncounted  forms  and  ways  of  mani- 
festation. To  understand  the  divine  mind  to  any 
extent,  we  must  study  the  vast  material  cosmos 
through  which  that  mind  has  been  made  manifest. 
The  soul  which  is  to  have  life,  and  to  have  it  more 
abundantly,  must  obtain  that  enlargement,  con- 
tinually and  abundantly,  through  material  and 
physical  things.  It  must  explore  and  investigate 
the  universe. 

Hence,  since  we  are  to  share  the  glory  of  Christ, 
in  respect  of  having  life,  and  having  it  more 
abundantly,  we  must  have  that  which  is  essential 
to  attainment  of  the  higher  life — great  acquaint- 
ance with  God's  works  throughout  the  entire  crea- 
tion. 

Fourth.  They  are  to  share  His  glory  in  ma- 
terial things. 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  CHRIST.  249 

His  glory  is  also  that  of  universal  empire,  all- 
comprehending  sovereignty.  His  glory  includes 
kingship  and  control  over  the  Cosmos,  with  all 
beings,  animate  or  inanimate,  rational  or  irrational 
that  are  in  it;  also  delight  in  these  things  which 
His  hands  have  made.  But  this  glory  He  is  going 
to  share  with  His  disciples.  They  are  to  be  lifted 
up  to  the  same  height  of  unquestioned,  undis- 
turbed sovereignty;  universal,  everlasting  posses- 
sion; and  unending,  unalloyed  enjoyment.  Christ's 
glory  in  this  respect  is  given  to  us  also. 

God,  as  sovereign  over  the  universe,  is  every- 
where in  it;  enjoying  it  to  the  fullest  conceivable 
extent.  Christ  is  sovereign  over  the  universe.  His 
divine  Spirit  is  everywhere  in  it;  His  human  spirit 
and  body  may  be  anywhere  in  it;  both  the  human 
and  the  divine  enjoying  it  to  the  fullest  conceiv- 
able extent.  But  we  also  are  to  be  sovereign  over 
the  universe,  therefore  we  are  to  go  anywhere, 
everywhere  in  it;  enjoy  it  to  the  largest  possible 
measure. 

Fifth.  As  God  and  Christ  are  one  with  each 
other,  so  the  Church  is  to  be  one  with  them. 

As  much  as  God  and  Christ  are  one  with  each 
other;  in  spirit,  possessions,  privileges,  and  pleas- 
ures; so  much  the  Church  is  to  be  one  with  God 
and  Christ,  in  spirit,  possessions,  privileges  and 
pleasures. 


250         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

"I  in  them,  and  thou  in  me,  that  they  may  be 
made  perfect  in  one."  (John  17;  23).  *T'  (Christ) 
"in  them"  (the  Church),  "and  thou"  (God)  "in 
me;  that  they  may  be  made  perfect  in  one."  This 
prayer  that  they  may  be  made  perfect  in  one  is 
partially  expressive  of  Christ's  purpose  to  perfect, 
sanctify,  and  glorify  the  Church  in  spiritual  quali- 
ties, powers,  attributes,  virtues  and  graces.  Of 
course  this  perfection  is  part  of  their  future  herit- 
age. These  are  the  features  upon  which  most 
stress  is  usually  laid. 

While  recognizing  all  that  may  be  said  about 
the  spiritual  attributes  of  the  coming  existence, 
we  at  present  are  endeavouring  specially  to  de- 
velop the  physical  and  intellectual  elements  of  that 
life.  In  His  own  language,  Christ's  desire  is  this: 
"That  the  world  may  know  that  thou  hast  sent  me, 
and  hast  loved  them,  as  thou  hast  loved  me." 
(Jno.  17;  23).  Here  is  a  plain  statement  that  God 
has  loved  the  disciples,  as  He  has  loved  Christ. 
Christ  declared  the  Church  to  be  His  own  body; 
an  essential  and  indestructible  part  of  Himself. 
So  God  loves  the  Church  as  an  essential  and  in- 
destructible part  of  Christ,  loves  the  Church  as 
He  loves  Christ.  But  He  loved  Christ  enough  to 
give  Him  sovereignty  over  all  created  things,  to 
enthrone  Him  in  universal  kingship  forever.  Then 
God,  for  Christ's  sake,  has  loved  the  Church 
enough  to  give  them  sovereignty  over  all  created' 
things;  universal  kingship  forever.    We,  as  breth- 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  CHRIST.  251 

ren  of  Christ,  are  kings  unto  God;  as  much  be- 
loved as  is  Jesus. 

All  these  things  are  for  the  glory  of  Christ  Him- 
self and  of  God.  Their  glory  is  paramount  in  im- 
portance; and  must  be  so  recognized.  But  they 
are  also  for  the  advantage  of  the  disciples,  then  of 
the  Church  at  large. 

"Neither  pray  I  for  these  alone,  but  for  them 
also  which  should  believe  on  me  through  their 
word."  (Jno.  17;  20).  These  things  were  for  all 
who  should  become  disciples  through  all  coming 
ages.  But  not  for  that  portion  of  mankind  which 
will  never  be  saved.     "I  pray  not  for  the  world," 

(v.  9)- 

Christ  prays  for  the  disciples,  "That  they  all 
may  be  one;  as  thou  Father,  art  in  me,  and  I  in 
them,  that  they  also  may  be  one  in  us;  that  the 
world  may  believe  that  thou  hast  sent  me."  (Jno. 
17;  21). 

God  the  Father  is  in  Christ;  Christ  is  in  God  the 
Father.  So  Christ  prays  that  the  Church  may  be 
one  in  them;  i.  e.,  that  God  the  Father  and  Christ 
may  be  in  the  Church;  and  that  the  Church  may 
be  in  Christ  and  in  God  the  Father;  "that  the 
world  may  believe  that  thou  hast  sent  me." 

23,  "I  in  them,  and  thou  in  me,  that  they  may 
be  made  perfect  in  one;  and  that  the  world  may 
know  that  thou  hast  sent  me,  and  hast  loved 
them,  as  thou  hast  loved  me." 

26.   "I  have  declared  unto  them  thy  name;  and 


252         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

will  declare  it;  that  the  love  wherewith  thou  hast 
loved  me,  may  be  in  them,  and  I  in  them." 

Here  certain  things  have  been  done.  Christ  has 
prayed;  and  has  declared  to  the  disciples  God's 
name.  And  certain  ultimate  purposes  for  which 
these  are  done,  are  mentioned.  They  are,  "That 
the  world  may  believe  that  thou  hast  sent  me."  v. 
2i).  "That  the  world  may  know  that  thou  hast 
sent  me;  and  hast  loved  them"  (the  disciples)  "as 
thou  hast  loved  me."  (v.  23).  "That  the  love 
wherewith  thou  hast  loved  me,  may  be  in  them" 
(the  disciples),  "and  I  in  them."    (v.  26). 

Thus,  both  for  the  sake  of  those  who  were  then 
His  disciples,  and  for  the  sake  of  those  who  were 
to  be  His  disciples,  Christ  offers  up  such  prayers. 

These  prayers  of  Christ  are  prophecies  and 
promises.  His  supplications  are  assurances.  And 
what  is  the  substance  of  them  here? 

That  Christians  are  to  be  one  with  one  another. 
Not  divided  in  interest,  in  their  final  state.  By 
and  by  the  body  of  Christ  will  be  united  in  inter- 
ests and  in  desires. 

All  Christians  are  to  be  one  with  Christ. 

Christ  is  to  be  in  them,  and  God  is  to  be  in  them; 
i.  e.,  to  abide  in  them,  sanctify  them,  direct  them, 
work  through  them,  and  bless  them. 

They  are  to  be  with  Christ,  and  to  behold  his  glory. 
But  the  exhibition  of  His  glory  implies  more  than 
the  revelation  of  Himself  as  resplendent  in  His 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  CHRIST.  253 

divine  and  glorious  person;  worthy  of  all  homage, 
and  of  unspeakable  affection. 

It  implies  more  than  disclosure  of  His  subjec- 
tive excellences  and  the  attributes  of  His  nature. 

It  involves  the  display  of  His  mighty  works  in 
creation  and  government;  the  exhibition  of  His 
empire  in  all  its  realms  and  kingdoms;  of  His 
wisdom,  power,  and  majesty  in  administration,  as 
shown  throughout  the  universe.  His  glory,  in 
this  sense,  is  so  great  that  it  requires,  for  full 
manifestation,  infinite  space  and  everlasting  dura- 
tion. Therefore  to  behold  Christ's  glory,  the 
saints  must  be  able  to  compass  the  entire  creation. 

If  there  were  only  some  local  heaven,  which 
alone  we  could  know;  if  Christ  were  only  to  show 
us  His  foot-stool  and  His  throne;  not  His  king- 
dom, which  is  the  universe;  then  eternal  life  would 
be,  not  a  revelation,  but  a  concealment  of  His 
glory.  Christ's  brethren  and  fellow  heirs  could 
not  even  see  Christ's  glory,  much  less  share  it. 

But  the  Church  is  to  share  his  glory.  That  is  to 
belong  to  the  Church,  as  it  does  to  Christ.  That 
glory  fills  the  universe.  And,  if  the  Church  can- 
not even  see  it  from  any  accessible  point;  still  less 
can  the  Church  participate  in  it,  when  confined  to 
some  one  point.  The  redeemed  must  see  it,  own 
it,  and  share  it,  as  it  is  exhibited  in  millions  of  flam- 
ing worlds;  which  they  may  visit,  explore,  and  en- 
joy. 

This  glory  is  something  which  they  may  behold 


254         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

and  partake.  Christians  are  adopted  into  the 
royal  family  of  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit. 
Christ's  divinity  they  cannot  share.  They  cannot 
be  infinite,  eternal,  omniscient,  and  omnipotent. 
Though  they  may  have  perfect  holiness,  and  may 
have  something  of  His  wisdom,  power,  goodness 
and  truth.  But,  aside  from  these  attributes,  His 
glory  is  all-embracing,  everlasting  dominion  over 
the  universe.  They  may  look  upon,  and  partici- 
pate in  such  dominion.  They  may  go  wherever 
He  may  go,  be  wherever  He  may  be,  see  whatever 
He  sees,  own  whatever  He  owns,  and  enjoy  what- 
ever He  enjoys  of  all  the  boundless  material  crea- 
tion. As  His  divine  Spirit  is  dispersed  every- 
where, so  may  His  mystic  body,  the  Church,  by 
dispersion  of  its  individual  members,  be  every- 
where, "the  fullness  of  Him  that  filleth  all  in  all." 
But  how  do  we  reconcile  with  this  statement, 
Rev.  5;  lo?  The  trumpet  voice  had  said  to  John, 
"Come  up  hither."  (Rev.  4;  1-2).  And  John 
says,  "Straightway  I  was  in  the  Spirit;  and  behold, 
there  was  a  throne  set  in  heaven,  and  one  sitting 
upon  the  throne."  Then,  when  Christ  took  from 
the  hand  of  God  the  volume  of  the  divine  decrees, 
the  celestial  beings  round  the  throne  sang  a  new 
song,  "Thou  hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by  thy 
blood,  *  *  and  hast  made  us  unto  our  God  kings 
and  priests;  and  we  shall  reign  on  the  earth." 
(Rev.  5;  9-10).  If  they  are  to  reign  everywhere, 
why  here  speak  of  reigning  merely  on  the  earth? 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  CHRIST.  255 

They  are  made  priests,  because  they  have  pro- 
found knowledge  of  spiritual  things;  kings,  be- 
cause they  have  power  over  physical  things;  and 
because  they  are  to  reign.  That  their  outburst 
of  praise  mentions  only  earth,  a  single  element  of 
the  kingdom  over  which  they  are  to  reign,  does 
not  conflict  with  the  doctrine  we  have  been  pre- 
senting. These  revelations  to  John,  were  given 
for  the  benefit  of  men  still  in  the  flesh  and  striv- 
ing here  on  earth.  And  they  were  to  encourage 
the  members  of  the  Church  militant,  by  predict- 
ing the  ultimate  victory  of  the  Church,  even  here 
upon  this  foot-stool.  We  cannot  understand  this 
to  mean  that  the  site  of  the  local  heaven,  the  capi- 
tal of  the  Cosmos,  will  one  day  be  on  the  earth. 

We  must  reject  this  view  about  the  location  of 
the  future  Eden.  As  we  have  already  seen,  the 
number  of  persons  to  be  saved  from  the  last  gen- 
eration, this  one,  and  the  next,  will  be  more  than 
three  times  the  present  population  of  the  globe. 
And  this  takes  no  account  of  all  the  other  genera- 
tions past  and  those  yet  to  come,  or  of  the  angelic 
hosts.  Earth  would  be  too  small.  Again, 
Heaven  now  is  certainly  on  some  other  sphere. 
Why  should  it  be  transferred  from  that  to  one 
comparatively  so  insignificant  and  unimportant  as 
our  own? 

But,  as  earth  had  been  the  scene  of  their  trials 
and  conflicts;  perhaps  now  those  ransomed  spirits 
in  Revelation  specially  mentioned  earth,  because 


256         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

there  they  once  had  suffered.  And  where  for- 
merly they  had  suffered,  there  in  future  they  were 
to  reign.  It  seems  to  mean  that  the  principles  of 
the  Christian  Church,  and  the  kingdom  of  Christ, 
of  which  they  were  members,  should  triumph  and 
reign  on  the  earth. 

But,  if  the  glory  of  the  saints  is  that  they  reign 
merely  on  earth,  then  the  glory  of  Christ  is  that 
He  reigns  merely  on  earth.  For  the  glory  which 
the  Father  has  given  to  Christ,  that  Christ  has 
given  to  the  saints.  So  in  Eph.  i;  9-11,  we  read 
thus,  "Having  made  known  unto  us  the  mystery  of 
His  will,  according  to  His  good  pleasure  which 
he"  (God)  "hath  purposed  in  himself;  that  in  the 
dispensation  of  the  fullness  of  times,  he  might 
gather  together  in  one  all  things  in  Christ, 
both  which  are  in  heaven,  and  which  are  on  earth; 
even  in  him;  in  whom  also  we  have  obtained  an 
inheritance."  Here  is  declared  God's  purpose  to 
make  Christ  the  universal  ruler.  God  will  "gather 
together  in  one  all  things  in  Christ,  both 
which  are  in  heaven,  and  which  are  on  earth;  even 
in  him."  Christ's  glory  is  sovereignty  over  all 
things.  And  the  glory  which  He  shares  with 
us,  is  not  earthly  but  universal  sovereignty.  The 
triumphant  declaration  of  the  redeemed,  "We 
shall  reign  on  the  earth,"  must  be  understood  in 
the  light  of  such  passages  as  the  foregoing;  and 
the  Father's  declaration,  "He  that  overcometh 
shall  inherit  all  things." 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  CHRIST.  257 

And 

Fourth.  Christ  has  appointed  unto  us  His  King- 
dom. We  are  to  share  that.  "He  that  overcometh 
shall  sit  with  me  in  my  throne"    (Rev.  3;  21). 

He  says,  "I  have  appointed  unto  you  a  kingdom 
as  my  Father  hath  appointed  unto  me."  (Luke  22; 
29-30).  But  the  kingdom  appointed  unto  the  Son, 
is  a  kingdom  universal  and  eternal.  Therefore 
such  a  kingdom,  i.  e.,  the  same  kingdom  is  ap- 
pointed unto  them. 

"That  ye  may  eat  and  drink  at  my  table  in  my 
kingdom,  and  sit  on  thrones  judging  the  twelve 
tribes  of  Israel,  (v.  30).  Here  is  further  evidence 
of  their  nearness  to  him.  They  are  to  eat  and 
drink  at  His  table  in  His  kingdom.  This  indicates 
the  most  intimate  association  with  Him.  They 
are  to  "sit  on  thrones,  judging  the  twelve  tribes 
of  Israel."  This  indicates  a  sharing  of  distinction 
and  authority  in  His  future  empire.  The  Apostles 
are  to  have  prominent  positions  in  the  Church; 
which  is  the  body  of  Christ,  and  which  administers 
all  things. 

He  said  to  His  disciples,  "If  ye  shall  ask  anything 
in  my  name,  I  will  do  it."  (Jno.  14;  14,  and  15-16). 
At  that  everlasting  banquet,  suppose  they  ask  Him 
to  let  them  traverse  and  behold  the  realms  of  in- 
finite space.  It  is  a  most  reasonable  thing  that 
the  Church  should  desire  this.  It  is  to  be  assumed 
that  they  will  desire  this.    Such  would  seem  to  be 


258         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

absolute  certainty.  And,  of  the  manner  in  which 
He  would  treat  such  requests,  we  have  sufficient 
evidence  from  what  has  already  been  said;  also 
from  the  course  He  declared  He  will  pursue  when 
He  comes  in  His  glory. 

"When  the  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  his  glory; 
*  *  *  then  shall  the  King  say  unto  them  on  his 
right  hand,  *  *  *  Inherit  the  kingdom  prepared 
for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world."  (Matt. 
25;  34).  The  kingdom  was  prepared  for  them 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world.  When  Christ 
comes  in  His  glory,  they  shall  enter  into  actual 
inheritance  of  it.  Inheritance,  as  already  seen, 
means  essentially  a  transference  of  title.  Though, 
in  this  case,  it  is  really  extension  of  title,  by  which 
the  ownership,  first  vested  in  Christ,  becomes 
vested  also  in  His  people. 

And  what  is  the  kingdom  prepared  from  the 
foundation  of  the  world,  and  which  they  are  to  in- 
herit? They  are  to  have  entire  possession  of  all 
things,  and  to  enjoy  them  forever.  If  man's  chief 
duty  is  to  glorify  God,  man's  reward  shall  be  to 
enjoy  Him  forever.  But  part  of  the  enjoyment 
of  God,  is  enjoyment  of  all  His  works.  Such  is 
the  Father's  statement — "He  that  overcometh 
shall  inherit  all  things."  Paul  says,  "When 
Christ,  who  is  our  life,  shall  be  manifested,  then 
shall  ye  also  with  Him  be  manifested  in  glory." 
(Col.  3;  4.  R.  V.)  But  part  of  Christ's  glory  is 
all-embracing  sovereignty.     And  we,  with   Him, 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  CHRIST.  259 

are  to  be  manifested  in  the  enjoyment  of  this  uni- 
versal dominion. 

Now,  again,  in  the  last  book  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, comes  reaffirmation  of  all  that  preceded. 
The  highest  celestial  intelligences  say  to  Christ, 
"Thou  art  worthy,  O  Lord,  to  receive  glory,  and 
honour  and  power;  for  thou  hast  created  all 
things,  and  for  thy  pleasures  they  are,  and 
were  created."  (Rev.  4;  11).  That  is,  for  thy 
pleasure  they  exist,  and  were  created.  All 
things  are  His  by  the  eternal  title  of  creation; 
and  this  title  is  confirmed  by  His  Father.  His 
is  the  throne  of  universal,  omnipresent  empire. 
But  now  the  Son  confirms  the  Father's  statement, 
"He  that  overcometh  shall  inherit  all  things." 
Christ  says,  "To  him  that  overcometh  will  I 
grant  to  sit  with  me  on  my  throne,  even 
as  I  also  overcame,  and  am  set  down  with  my 
Father  on  his  throne."     (Rev.  3;  21). 

But  the  throne  of  the  Father  is  the  throne  of 
government  over  all  things,  material  and  imma- 
terial. When  Christ  sits  down  upon  the  throne  of 
universal  sovereignty.  He  governs  all  things  ma- 
terial and  immaterial.  But  He  gives  us  the  right 
to  sit  upon  that  throne  with  Him.  In  the  enjoy- 
ment of  universal  dominion,  believers  are  to  share 
with  God  and  Christ.  Both  God  and  Christ  pro- 
claim this.  But  the  privilege  of  sitting  with  Christ 
on  the  throne  involves  privileges  of  exploring  and 
understanding  the  physical  and  material  realms  we 


260        THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

are  to  govern.  Nothing  in  the  universe  is  con- 
cealed from  God  and  Christ. 

As  we  have  already  observed,  Jesus  certainly  is 
not  confined  to  any  one  place.  Of  all  beings  in 
the  universe,  He  surely  is  at  liberty  to  go  any- 
where arid  everywhere.  After  he  had  reascended 
to  His  throne.  He  came  back  to  earth  twice,  and 
appeared  to  Saul  of  Tarsus.  (Acts  9:  4.  Also  23; 
11).  He  is  coming  back  to  earth  again.  And  we 
too  shall  have  like  power  of  mighty  journeyings. 

So  what  is  taught  by  the  Son  alone,  about  His 
purposes,  and  our  relations  to  him;  is  of  itself  suffi- 
cient indisputably  to  prove  the  doctrine  we  have 
been  presenting.  Our  future  heritage  includes  the 
infinity  of  space  through  everlasting  duration  of 
time.    The  universe  is  ours  forever. 


CHAPTER  XI 

THAT  GLORIFIED  SAINTS  WILL  POSSESS  AND  ENJOY 
THE  ENTIRE  UNIVERSE,  IS  FURTHERMORE 
PROVED  BY  WHAT  THE  SCRIPTURES  OTHERWISE 
TEACH  ABOUT  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  AND  OUR  RE- 
LATIONS TO  him;  ALSO  BY  WHAT  THE  HOLY 
SPIRIT  HIMSELF  UNQUESTIONABLY  TEACHES. 

I.  For  instance,  note  the  attitude  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  toward  believers. 

We  have  already  seen  in  what  manner  God  the 
Father  regards  the  pardoned  sinner,  who  has  been 
adopted  into  His  family;  and  in  what  light  the 
Lord  Jesus  considers  the  sinner  who  has  been 
recognized  by  Him  as  a  brother. 

Now  what  is  the  feeling  of  the  Spirit  toward 
us?  He  is  represented  as  cherishing  for  us  like 
afifection.  He  seeks  to  make  us  understand  and 
realize  how  we  are  looked  upon  by  the  Father  and 
the  Son,  The  Spirit,  divine  Teacher  and  Com- 
forter, seeks  to  impress  upon  our  minds  the  great- 
ness of  the  love  wherewith  we  are  regarded  by  the 
Father  and  the  Son,  and  the  ineffable  character 

261 


262         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

of  the  relations  which  we  sustain  to  them.  "The 
Spirit  also  beareth  witness  with  our  spirit  that  we 
are  the  children  of  God;  and  if  children,  then 
tieirs,  heirs  of  God;  and  joint  heirs  with  Christ; 
if  so  be  that  we  suffer  with  Him,  that  we  may  be 
also  g-lorified  together."  (Rom.  8;  16-17).  We 
are  heirs  of  God.  God  has  said,  "He  that  over- 
cometh  shall  inherit  all  things."  We  are 
joint  heirs  with  Christ.  Christ  has  said,  "To  him 
that  overcometh  will  I  grant  to  sit  with  me  on 
my  throne."  And  He  will  say,  "Inherit  the  king- 
dom prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the 
world."  And  the  Spirit  endeavours  to  bring  us  to 
fuller  comprehension  of  what  is  meant  by  this 
overwhelming  relation  to  God  and  Christ.  He 
interprets  it  to  us.  Seeks  to  make  us  appreciate 
its  unutterable  import. 

2.  Next  consider  some  lessons  which  are  taught 
us  here  by  the  Spirit. 

First.  "And  we  know  that  all  things  work  to- 
gether for  good  to  them  that  love  God,  to  them 
who  are  called  according  to  his  purpose."  (Rom. 
8;  28).  Does  this  mean  simply  that  "all 
things"  upon  the  earth  work  for  our  good? 
Then,  especially  if  by  and  by  Heaven  is  to  be  lo- 
cated here:  (which  idea  the  author  repudiates;)  we 
become  deprived  almost  altogether  of  all  advan- 
tage from  the  greater  and  boundless  kingdom  of 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  SPIRIT.  263 

God  and  Christ.  We  are  like  insects  located  upon 
a  grain  of  dust;  then  told  they  are  to  enjoy  eternal 
life,  and  to  inherit  all  things;  i.  e.,  to  dwell  for- 
ever on  the  grain  of  dust,  and  inherit  all  things  on 
that;  and  all  things  upon  this  atom  shall  work  to- 
gether for  their  good. 

Surely  the  sublime  and  inspired  utterance  of  the 
Apostle  in  the  above  passage  has  no  such  limited 
significance.  In  the  text,  "All  things  work  to- 
gether for  our  good,"  if  Paul  refers  simply  to 
things  on  earth;  then  he  really  means  that  less 
than  one  one-hundred-millionth  part  of  things 
work  together  for  good  to  them  that  love  God. 

But  the  phrase  "all  things"  must  include 
all  things  in  earth  and  Heaven.  In  that  great  here- 
after we  can  never  find  anything  that  is  either 
hostile  or  indifferent  to  the  Church.  All  is  zvork- 
ing  for  our  good.  The  stars  in  their  courses  fight 
for  us. 

Pictures  work  together  for  our  good,  when  we 
can  see  them;  statuary,  when  we  can  study  it; 
flowers,  when  we  can  enjoy  them;  music,  when  we 
can  hear  it.  But  the  far-away  worlds  work  little 
for  our  good,  when  they  are  forever  invisible  to 
our  eyes.  Suppose  some  being  on  a  star  so  ex- 
ceedingly remote  this  earth  would  to  him  seem 
but  a  speck,  should  be  told  that  this  world  was 
working  for  his  good.  How  could  it  work  for  his 
good,  if  it  were  only  a  tiny  spot  upon  a  photo- 
graphic plate?     If  this  world  is  to  work  for  his 


264         THE  UNIVERSE  OtJR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

good,  he  must  see  it,  study  it,  learn  something  of 
its  lessons. 

If  about  those  distant  spheres  that  flash  over- 
head, the  only  thing  we  can  learn  is  their  exist- 
ence; and  we  can  learn  that  only  by  obscure  and 
scarce  discernible  dots  slowly  printed  upon  a  sen- 
sitive glass;  how  do  they  work  together  for  our 
good?  What  they  do  toward  holding  the  globe 
in  its  orbit,  is,  comparatively  speaking,  utterly  un- 
important. They  might  pass  from  being,  and  the 
earth  never  would  discover  it. 

How  can  they  work  together  for  our  good,  un- 
less they  are  by  and  by  to  be  revealed  to  us;  to 
become  familiarly  known;  to  disclose  to  us  their 
treasures  of  knowledge  and  science?  In  our  6,000 
years  of  study,  we  have  learned  just  a  little  about 
the  globe.  Among  those  distant  orbs,  incredible 
multitudes  may  and  probably  do  contain  far 
greater  treasures  of  truth  than  ever  have  been 
found  on  earth. 

The  far-off  ranges  of  creation  are  surely  in- 
cluded among  the  all  things  which  work  to- 
gether for  our  good.  And  they  work  by  opening 
unto  us  their  stores  of  thought,  truth  and  beauty, 
which  the  Creator  has  laid  up  in  them  for  us.  The 
armies  of  the  stars,  as  much  as  the  armies  of  the 
seraphs  work  for  us.  For  us  the  hosts  of  Heaven, 
both  material  and  immaterial,  move  forward  in 
their  bands. 

The  "all  things"  that  work  together  for  our  good 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  SPIRIT.  265 

must  include  time's  brief  span  and  the  unending 
duration  which  is  to  follow;  not  only  earth,  but 
also  the  boundless  cosmos;  eternity  and  infinity,  and 
all  that  in  them  is. 

Second.  "Godliness  is  profitable  unto  all  things, 
having  promise  of  the  life  that  now  is,  and  of  that 
which  is  to  come."    (I.  Tim.  4;  8). 

Does  the  text  mean  merely  this?  Godliness  is 
profitable  both  in  this  life,  and  in  that  which  is  to 
come?  This  idea  would  be  very  flat,  a  mere 
truism.  But  it  means  that  godliness  is  profitable 
regarding  all  things  in  this  life;  and  all  things  in 
that  which  is  to  come.  Godliness  puts  us  in  the 
true  attitude  concerning  all  things;  in  a  proper 
position  to  profit  by  them  most  perfectly,  and  to 
enjoy  them.  In  this  sense  "godliness  is  profitable 
unto  all  things;  having  promise  of  the  life  that 
now  is,  and  that  which  is  to  come." 

But,  in  the  life  hereafter,  the  Scriptures  indicate, 
as  we  have  already  seen,  that  we  shall  have  this 
power  of  unrestrained  and  universe-exploring 
flight.  If,  in  the  future  state,  we  shall  have  no 
opportunity  to  use  that  power;  then,  in  that  life, 
godliness  will  bring  simply  repression  to  that  en- 
dowment, and  not  profit.  If,  to  all  eternity,  we 
are  to  look  out  upon  uncounted  radiant  orbs  and 
shining  systems  God  has  made,  but  which  we  are 
never  to  behold  except  at  infinite  distances,  never 
to   explore,    never   to    enjoy:    then   godliness    is 


266        THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

marked  by  eternal  limitation  and  restriction.  It 
is  profitable  only  unto  a  few  things;  not  unto  all 
things. 

Third.  "We  look  for  new  heavens  and  a  new 
earth,  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness."  (II.  Peter 
3;  13).  The  phrase  "heavens  and  earth"  means 
the  universe.  This  is  that  wherein  the  righteous 
are  to  dwell.  A  declaration  that,  in  the  new  heav- 
ens and  the  new  earth  shall  dwell  the  abstract  idea 
or  quality  of  righteousness,  conveys  no  meaning 
whatever.  There  can  be  no  such  thing  as  right- 
eousness dwelling  in  any  place,  except  it  dwells  in 
some  person  or  persons.  This  language  teaches 
that  righteous  beings  shall  dwell  both  in  the  new 
earth  and  in  the  new  heavens;  shall  dwell  every- 
where; for  the  expression  includes  the  cosmos. 
The  Apostle  refers  to  the  state  of  things  which 
shall  exist  after  "the  heavens  shall  pass  away  with 
a  great  noise,  and  the  elements  shall  melt  with  fer- 
vent heat,  the  earth  also  and  the  works  that  are 
therein  shall  be  burned  up."  (Verses  10-12).  Then 
what?  "We  *  *  look  for  new  heavens  and  a  new 
earth,  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness,"  i.  e., 
wherein  dwell  righteous  people.  Do  they  dwell 
only  in  heaven?  No.  Also  on  earth.  Do  they 
dwell  only  on  earth?  No.  Also  in  the  heavens. 
Not  on  a  solitary  sphere,  not  in  a  local  heaven; 
but  both  on  the  earth,  and  in  the  heavens — 
throughout  the  universe,  shall  the  righteous  dwell. 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  SPIRIT.  267 

Righteous  spirits  everywhere.    They  shall  range 
throughout  all  worlds. 

3.   Now  what  is  the  Spirit  to  do  for  us  there? 

Christ  says,  "And  I  will  pray  the  Father,  and 
he  shall  give  you  another  Comforter,  that  he  may 
abide  with  you  forever."  (Jno.  14;  16).  That  Holy 
Spirit  is  to  abide  with  us. 

First.  Note  this  is  an  eternal  abiding.  It  is  not 
for  time  alone;  but  also  for  eternity.  He  shall 
abide  with  you  forever.  "These  things  have  I 
spoken  unto  you,  being  yet  present  with  you,  *  * 
But  the  comforter,  which  is  the  Holy  Ghost,  whom 
the  Father  will  send  in  my  name.  He  shall  teach 
you  all  things,  and  bring  all  things  to  your 
remembrance,  whatsoever  I  have  said  unto  you." 
(Jno.  14;  25-26). 

"He"  (the  Spirit)  "shall  bring  all  things 
to  your  remembrance,  whatsoever  I  have  said 
unto  you."  Of  course  anything  and  everything 
that  Christ  had  said,  would  be  of  the  utmost  im- 
portance, and  the  Church  would  desire  to  cherish 
His  sacred  words  with  loving  and  reverential  care. 
Christ  had  revealed  some  things  already.  These 
things  the  Spirit  would  bring  to  their  remem- 
brance. What  Christ  had  already  said,  the  Spirit 
would  recall  to  their  minds,  and  would  explain. 

But  the  work  of  the  Spirit  is  by  no  means  fin- 
ished   in    bringing    to    their    remembrance    what 


268         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

Christ  had  already  taught  them.  Aside  from  re- 
calling to  them  what  the  Saviour  already  had  com- 
municated, the  Spirit  would  do  more. 

Second.  "He  shall  teach  you  all  things." 
(Jno.  14;  26,  above).  "He  shall  guide  you  into 
all  truth."  (Jno.  16;  13).  "I  have  yet  many 
things  to  say  unto  you;  but  ye  cannot  bear  them 
now.  (Jno.  16;  12).  Christ  had  other  things  to 
reveal;  but  the  Church  was  not  able  to  bear  them 
then.  And  doubtless  among  the  things  which 
Christ  meant  to  reveal,  but  which  the  Church  at 
that  time  was  not  able  to  bear,  was  this  principle 
of  the  universal  range  of  the  saints  after  death. 

"Howbeit,  when  he,  the  Spirit  of  truth,  is 
come,  he  will  guide  you  into  all  truth;  for 
he  shall  not  speak  of  himself;  but  whatsoever 
he  shall  hear,  that  shall  he  speak;  and  he  will  shew 
you  things  to  come."  (Jno.  16;  13).  These  ex- 
pressions, "He  shall  teach  you  oil  things;"  He  will 
guide  you  into  all  truth;"  "He  will  shew  you  things 
to  come;"  imply  more  than  the  truth  Christ  al- 
ready had  announced. 

The  "all  things,"  all  truth,"  into  which  the 
Spirit  is  to  lead;  referred,  not  merely  to  the 
truth  which  Christ  has  already  proclaimed, 
but  to  revelations  yet  in  store.  "He  shall  glorify 
me,  for  he  shall  receive  of  mine,  and  shall  shew  it 
unto  you."  (Jno.  16;  14).  "All  things  that  the 
Father  ha.th  are  mine;  therefore  said  I,  that  he 
shall  take  of  mine,  and  shall  shew  it  unto  you." 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  SPIRIT.  269 

(Jno.  1 6;  15).  The  Spirit  shall  show  unto  them 
all  things  about  Christ,  His  person,  His  work.  His 
salvation;  but  also  about  his  infinite  possessions. 
Christ  says,  "all  things  that  the  Father  hath 
are  mine" — all  the  possessions  of  God.  And  the 
Spirit  shall  take  of  all  things  that  the  Father  hath, 
all  the  possessions  of  God,  and  shall  show  it  unto 
them. 

He  shall  explain  to  us  all.  But,  among  other 
things,  all  that  concerns  the  physical  creation;  the 
marvels  of  the  entire  universe.  Lord  Bacon  said, 
"I  take  all  knowledge  to  be  my  province."  He 
spoke  as  a  strong  scholar,  with  powers  far  beyond 
those  of  ordinary  men.  But  the  scholar  shall  not 
have  monopoly  of  knowledge.  This  latter  is  de- 
signed by  God  for  us.  The  humblest  believer,  as 
well  as  the  profoundest  philosopher,  may  say, 
"God  has  given  me  all  knowledge  to  be  my  prov- 
ince." 

For  to  what  extent  shall  the  Spirit  take  of  the 
things  of  Christ,  and  show  them  to  the  disciples? 
"He  shall  abide  with  you  forever''  (Jno.  14;  26). 
'*He  shall  teach  you  all  things."  "He  shall  guide  you 
into  all  truth"     (Jno.  16;  13). 

There  is  no  bound  set.  These  are  mighty  uni- 
versals.  They  include  everything  that  can  possi- 
bly be  known.  They  are  limited  in  only  one  di- 
rection. The  finite  mind  never  can  fully  compre- 
hend the  infinite.  "There  is  no  searching  of  his 
understanding."     (Is.  40;  28). 


270         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

"Canst  thou  by  searching  find  out  God?  Canst 
thou  find  out  the  Almighty  unto  perfection?"  (Job 
II ;  7).  This  may  prove  to  mean  that,  as  we  can- 
not fully  search  His  understanding;  so  neither  can 
we  fully  search  His  works.  But,  aside  from  the 
profound  principles  about  the  nature  of  God,  and" 
perhaps  some  others  about  His  works;  the  Spirit 
shall  guide  us  into  knowledge  of  all  things; 
at  least  of  all  things  the  finite  intellect  is  capable 
of  understanding. 

The  language  we  have  quoted  can  yield  but  one 
meaning.  It  teaches  that  we  are  to  have  eternally 
the  illuminating,  instructive,  and  energizing  pres- 
ence of  the  Holy  Spirit;  "endless  in  circuits,  infi- 
nite in  potentiality."  And  He  shall  explain  to  us 
the  boundless  empire  of  universal  knowledge; 
whatsoever  concerns  the  realms  of  spiritual  truth, 
and  the  entire  physical  creation. 

The  presence  and  work  of  the  Spirit  have  been 
continuous  down  to  our  own  time.  They  are  to  go 
on  forever.  He  ir  the  great  teacher  of  the  saints, 
in  that  vast  school  which  embraces  all  God's  infi- 
nite realms,  and  all  departments  of  knowledge  per- 
taining to  them.  The  university  is  the  Cosmos, 
and  the  Instructor  is  omniscient. 

Is  not  some  of  this  truth  into  which  He  guides 
us  spiritual?  Certainly.  Paul  says  (I.  Cor.  2;  7- 
13),  "But  w^e  speak  the  wisdom  of  God  in  a  mys- 
tery, even  the  hidden  wisdom,  which  God  ordained 
before  the  world  unto  our  glory.  ***** 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  SPIRIT.  271 

9.  As  it  is  written,  Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear 
heard,  neither  have  entered  into  the  heart  of  man, 
the  things  which  God  hath  prepared  for  them  that 
love  him. 

10.  "But  God  hath  revealed  them  unto  us  by  his 
Spirit;  for  the  Spirit  searcheth  all  things,  yea 
the  deep  things  of  God.  *  *  *  *  " 

12.  "Now  we  have  received,  not  the  Spirit  of  the 
world,  but  the  spirit  which  is  of  God;  that  we 
might  know  the  things  that  are  freely  given  to  us 
of  God. 

13.  "Which  things  also  we  speak,  not  in  the 
words  which  man's  wisdom  teacheth,  but  which 
the  Holy  Ghost  teacheth;  comparing  spiritual 
things  with  spiritual." 

But  it  cannot  be  argued  that  the  "all  things," 
"all  truth,"  into  which  the  Holy  Spirit  is  to  con- 
duct is,  as  He  abides  with  us  forever,  will  be 
spiritual  alone.  Part  will  be  spiritual.  But  part 
will  be  philosophical,  scientific,  and  physical  truth. 

The  Spirit  has  guided  the  Church  into  some 
truth  already.  But  it  was  partly  spiritual  and 
partly  physical.  For  it  is  simply  impossible  to  un- 
derstand spiritual  truth  without  some  knowledge 
of  physical  truth  also. 

Thus  it  zvas  in  the  ages  past,  before  Christ  came. 
The  Spirit  inspired  the  Mosaic  record  of  creation. 
Taught  through  David  that,  "the  heavens  declare 
the  glory  of  God,  and  the  firmament  showeth  his 


272         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

handiwork."  Instructed  Solomon  about  natural 
history.  Spoke  through  Isaiah  of  God's  work  in 
spreading  out  the  heavens  and  upholding  them. 
Certainly  physical  science  is  part  of  the  truth  into 
which  the  Spirit  has  been  guiding  us  in  time  past. 

For  God,  though  a  spirit,  cannot  be  understood, 
except  as  He  is  manifested  in  the  physical  uni- 
verse. His  ability  to  create,  cannot  be  compre- 
hended except  in  view  of  some  actual  creation. 
His  wisdom  cannot  be  appreciated  save  as  we  see 
it  actually  shown  in  various  ways;  e.  g.,  in  adapta- 
tion of  means  to  ends  in  the  material  marvels  He 
has  made  throughout  earth  and  the  vaulted  firma- 
ment. His  power  cannot  be  understood,  without 
some  knowledge  of  its  play  in  upholding  and  gov- 
erning the  Cosmos. 

So  subsequently  to  the  time  of  Christ. 

The  Spirit  taught  in  Hebrews  that  the  heavens 
shall  be  rolled  together  as  a  scroll.  The  Spirit 
declared  through  Peter  that  the  elements  shall 
melt  with  fervent  heat.  The  Spirit  depicted  to 
John  the  configuration  and  character  of  the  heav- 
enly city.  Surely  in  Revelation  the  Spirit  guided 
the  Apostle  John  into  various  things  which  Christ 
had  not  spoken  while  here  on  earth. 

In  order  that  the  Spirit  may  teacH  us  further 
physical  truth — "all  truth;'*  It  Is  necessary 
that  we  should  explore,  and  study  those  distant 
kingdoms  of  space.    For,  if  a  world  is  so  far  away, 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  SPIRIT.  273 

that  it  can  never  be  seen  at  all,  and  the  only  pos- 
sible impression  of  it  we  can  obtain,  is  a  tiny  point 
upon  the  plate  of  a  camera,  after  long  exposure; 
how  are  we  to  be  taught  fully,  satisfactorily,  and 
exhaustively  about  that  sphere,  unless  we  can  visit 
and  investigate  it? 

Some  persons  fall  into  the  error  of  thinking  the 
great  essence  and  object  of  the  future  Hfe,  is 
merely  perfect  righteousness  and  absolute  holi- 
ness. But  there  must  first  be  something  which 
can  be  marked  by  holiness.  Without  acts,  words, 
ideas  and  instincts,  which  can  possess  the  quality 
of  holiness,  holiness  cannot  exist. 

The  essence  of  that  life  is  not  holiness  alone; 
but  larger  development  and  education  of  intellect, 
feeling,  and  will;  while  all  these  things  are  to  be 
characterized  by  holiness,  as  their  crowning  per- 
fection. Suppose  an  infant  has  perfect  health,  is 
that  sufficient?  Who  would  forever  remain  phy- 
sically a  babe,  even  though  he  could  forever  be  a 
perfectly  healthful  babe  ?  For  our  bodies,  we  seek 
the  fullest,  most  symmetrical  growth  and  maturity 
of  faculties  and  powers,  and  desire  that  these  in- 
creasing powers  be  healthful  and  holy.  And  who 
would  wish  forever  to  remain  an  intellectual  in- 
fant, even  though  he  would  forever  be  a  holy  in- 
fant? For  our  souls,  we  desire  the  highest  con- 
ceivable expansion  and  development  of  powers, 
attainments,    and    accomplishments.     While,   of 


274        THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

course,  regarding  all  these  endowments,  physical 
and  intellectual,  we  covet  the  highest  and  most 
absolute  holiness  of  character.  So  the  Spirit  does 
not  merely  guide  us  into  all  holiness,  and  teach' 
us  merely  spiritual  things.  He  teaches  us  other 
things  as  well,  guides  us  into  all  the  kingdoms  of 
truth,  and  exhibits  all  the  ranges  of  the  divine  ac- 
tivity we  are  able  to  comprehend,  while  in  all 
these  things  He  gives  us,  in  addition,  always  and 
everywhere  perfect  holiness. 

For  "The  Comforter  shall  teach  you  all  things." 
"When  he,  the  Spirit  of  truth,  is  come,  he  will 
guide  you  into  all  truth."  Not  merely  all  spiritual 
truth;  but  also  all  physical  truth,  all  scientific 
truth,  and  all  philosophical  truth  about  the  uni- 
verse. It  means  "all  truth"  about  "all  things." 
"All  things  that  the  Father  hath,  are  mine;  there- 
fore I  said,  he  shall  take  of  mine,  and  shall  show 
it  unto  you."  All  things  that  the  Father  hath,  all 
things  that  the  Son  hath,  and  all  things  that  the 
Spirit  hath — these  shall  the  Spirit  reveal  unto  us. 

Thus  there  must  be,  not  only  the  conceded 
infinity  of  everlastingness,  but  also  the  overlooked 
infinity  of  the  entire  creation;  in  which  to  study 
and  explore  under  the  instruction  of  the  Spirit. 
To  the  millions  of  His  children,  who  come  up  to 
the  Morning  Land,  God  expects  to  unfold  every- 
thing that  is  contained  in  the  unmeasured  empires 
of  space  through  the  eternities  of  duration.   These 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  SPIRIT.  275 

disclosures  seem  to  be  limited  only  by  the  capacity 
of  the  glorified  human  mind  to  comprehend.  For, 
between  the  finite  mind  and  the  infinite  mind, 
there  is  a  barrier  we  never  can  overpass. 

Here  some  questions  rise.    These  we  will  con- 
sider next. 


CHAPTER  XII 
(Continued  from  last  Chapter.) 

THAT  GLORIFIED  SAINTS  WILL  POSSESS  AND  ENJOY 
THE  ENTIRE  UNIVERSE,  PROVED  BY  WHAT  THE 
SCRIPTURES  OTHERWISE  TEACH  ABOUT  THE  HOLY 
SPIRIT  AND  OUR  RELATIONS  TO  HIM;  ALSO  BY 
WHAT  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  HIMSELF  UNQUESTION- 
ABLY TEACHES. 

SOME   OBJECTIONS   ANSWERED. 

First.  Why  was  this  doctrine  not  outhned  from 
the  beginning?  When  Adam  and  Eve  were 
created,  why  was  nothing  said  to  suggest  a  future 
power  of  exploring  the  starry  kingdoms  of  the 
firmament?  Is  not  this  omission  an  argument 
against  such  teaching? 

But  at  creation,  there  was  nothing  special  said 
about  traversing  even  the  globe  as  we  now  do  it; 
nothing  about  the  needle  quivering  under  the  fire 
of  the  Northern  Light;  nothing  about  the  steam 
engine,  driving  over  the  mountains,  and  across 
the  bosom  of  the  seas;  nothing  about  harnessing 

276 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  SPIRIT.  277 

the  thunderbolts;  indeed  nothing  about  eternal  life 
in  Heaven.  All  these  things  came  later.  All  were 
intended  from  the  beginning,  but  there  was  no 
distinct  prophecy  of  them  at  creation. 

Second.  Why  was  not  this  doctrine  put  for- 
ward in  the  Old  Testament  more  plainly  than  it 
seems  to  be?  Why  was  it  not  stated  somewhere 
in  the  Bible,  in  clear,  simple,  unmistakable  lan- 
guage; instead  of  being  presented  in  these  broad, 
profound,  general  declarations  of  the  later  Scrip- 
tures ? 

By  reason  of  God's  wisdom  and  His  love  for 
men.  He  employed  the  more  considerate  and  far- 
sighted  method  of  presenting  it. 

It  was  not  the  divine  intention  that  certain 
scientific  facts  should  be  understood  from  the  be- 
ginning. Men  were  not  prepared  for  them. 
Neither  were  men  at  the  outset  prepared  for  cer- 
tain spiritual  truths.  In  those  early  ages,  we  con- 
cede men  never  dreamed  of  inhabiting  the  far-ofi 
spheres.  They  did  not  even  dream  those  distant 
lights  of  Heaven  were  spheres  at  all;  and  that 
earth  was  only  one  amid  over  a  hundred  millions 
of  other  orbs.  And,  at  the  time  the  Bible  was 
composed,  men  did  not  even  suspect  the  earth  was 
a  globe,  and  had  a  western  hemisphere.  They 
thought  it  was  a  plain. 

That  the  Bible  refrained  from  teaching  at  the 
outset,  in  a  plainer  and  more  explicit  way,  the  doc- 
trine that  our  future  range  of  life  should  have  no 


278         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

bound,  is  in  accordance  with  the  Scriptural  method 
in  some  other  things. 

At  first  the  true  meaning  of  the  six  days  of 
creation  never  was  suspected.  Men  innocently 
thought  them  common  days.  But  geology  gave 
a  new  interpretation  to  the  creative  days  of  Gene- 
sis. And  this  geological  revelation  was  found  to 
be  entirely  in  accordance  with  the  legitimate  in- 
terpretation of  Scripture. 

Though  scholars  did  not  realize  it;  in  the  Old 
Testament  this  w^ord  "day"  had  been  used  in  ways 
which  plainly  showed  it  might  mean  a  period  far 
longer  than  twenty-four  hours.  Thus  Job  says, 
"Turn  from  him,  that  he  may  rest,  till  he  shall  ac- 
complish, as  an  hireling,  his  day.  (Job  14;  6). 
Here  it  seems  to  denote  the  period  of  a  human 
life.  Again,  in  Psalm  2;  7,  God  says,  "Thou  art 
my  Son.  This  day  have  I  begotten  thee."  Here 
the  word  "day"  seems  to  mean  "from  eternity,"  a 
long  period  without  change  or  flux.  And,  even 
in  the  account  of  creation  itself.  Inspiration  says, 
"These  are  the  generations  of  the  heavens  and  of 
the  earth  *  *  *,  in  the  day  that  the  Lord  God  made 
the  earth  and  the  heavens."  Here  the  word  "day" 
obviously  means  more  than  twenty-four  hours.  It 
signifies  the  whole  creative  period,  whatever  its 
duration  might  have  been. 

Had  the  Scripture  taught  plainly  that  the 
creative  days  were  aeons;  and  that,  in  those  aeons, 
once  flourished  a  mighty  palaeozoic  life,  which  now 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  SPIRIT.  279 

surprises  and  startles  men;  this  might  have  been  a 
stumbling  block  to  a  host  of  God's  people  in  those 
early  generations.  There  was  nothing  to  be 
gained  by  explaining  this  at  once.  There  was 
something  to  be  lost.  So  God  left  science  to  take 
its  course.  He  let  men  investigate  the  rocks,  and 
discover  for  themselves  that  the  creative  days  were 
aeons;  then  to  discover  that  the  language  of  Scrip- 
ture was  in  accordance  with  this  truth. 

So  we  believe  it  is  only  a  question  of  time  as 
to  how  soon  the  theory  that  the  saints  are  to  be 
confined  in  the  local  heaven,  will  pass  away;  as  did 
the  theory  that  the  days  of  creation  were  of  only 
twenty-four  hours  each. 

Even  God's  revelation  of  the  future  spiritual 
inheritance  of  believers  was  a  progressive  thing. 
How  simple  the  beginnings  of  it !  And,  in  con- 
trast with  these  earlier  suggestions,  how  complete, 
varied,  sublime,  and  amazing  are  the  revelations  to 
St.  John  in  the  Apocalypse ! 

And  these  mighty  teachings  that  the  spiritual 
life  of  glorified  saints  in  the  other  world,  is  accom- 
panied with  most  incredible  and  overwhelming 
powers  and  privileges  regarding  the  material  and 
physical  universe;  are,  in  like  manner,  gradual 
developments. 

Why?  Well,  it  is  not  very  difficult  to  find  one 
reason.  There  may  be  many  others.  At  Pisa,  you 
stand  in  the  famous  Cathedral;  and  watch  that 
great  chandelier,  which  is  forever  slowly  oscillat- 


280         THE  tJNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

ing  to  and  fro.  This  ceaseless  swinging  of  the 
Cathedral  chandelier  was  what  suggested  to  Gali- 
leo the  theory  of  the  pendulum,  which  helped  him 
to  discover  that  the  earth  is  round,  and  revolving 
about  the  sun.  In  Florence  you  visit  his  house, 
which  looks  as  if  he  might  have  lived  there  last 
week.  Then  you  go  to  the  memorial  museum  of 
the  great  philosopher;  or,  as  it  is  called,  the 
Tribune  of  Galileo.  You  see  the  instruments  he 
used,  and  some  of  which  he  made;  also  the  his- 
toric paintings  of  the  chief  events  in  his  life.  How 
a  man's  heart  thrills,  as  he  stands  there!  You  re- 
member the  persecution  that  Galileo  suffered! 
Less  than  300  years  ago!  Seems  as  if  it  were 
only  yesterday.  Yet  those  first  scientific  an- 
nouncements of  the  now  familiar  fact  that  the  sun 
does  not  revolve  about  the  earth,  but  the  earth 
about  the  sun,  nearly  upset  some  theologians  of 
that  age. 

Did  not  the  Bible  declare  the  opposite?  Did  it 
not  speak  of  the  rising  and  setting  of  the  sun?  Of 
his  flight  through  the  vaulted  firmament?  Did  not 
men  each  day  behold  a  journeying  sun,  and  see 
that  it  did  revolve  about  the  earth?  Only  after 
a  long  time  did  they  grasp  the  truth,  and  under- 
stand that  the  Scripture  merely  described  these 
phenomena  as  they  appear. 

Of  the  two  great  theories  which  scientists 
have  successively  accepted  about  the  relations  be- 
tween the  earth  and  the  sun,  the  Bible  could  not 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  SPIRIT.  58l 

have  taught  either  one  without  disaster.  Suppose 
it  had  presented  the  Copernican  principle  that  the 
earth  revolves  around  the  sun,  which  is  the  true 
one.  This,  to  the  ancient  Church,  would  have 
been  a  fearful  stumbling  block.  Because  it  con- 
tradicted their  science  and  their  senses.  It  would 
have  seemed  incredible.  Would  have  made  the 
Bible  seem  unworthy  of  belief. 

Still  less  could  the  Scriptures  have  taught  the 
old  Ptolemaic  view,  that  the  sun  revolves  around 
the  earth.  Then  modern  science  would  have 
justly  rejected  the  book,  for  we  know  this  theory 
is  not  true. 

The  former  of  these  great  scientific  theories 
would  have  been  regarded  by  the  ancients  as  ab- 
surd and  incredible;  and  the  latter  would  have 
been  viewed  by  the  moderns  in  the  same  light. 
Would  have  repelled  them  from  the  Bible.  Prob- 
ably brought  shipwreck  to  myriads  of  souls. 

But,  with  profound  and  divine  wisdom,  the 
Bible  taught  neither  one.  It  simply  described  the 
phenomena  of  earth  and  heaven,  as  they  appear  in 
all  ages  and  all  lands.  And  thus,  in  all  ages,  and 
all  lands,  those  utterances  are  true. 

As  is  well  known,  there  were  in  the  Early 
Church  some  doubts  about  the  Book  of  Revelation 
anyway.  It  was  some  little  time  before  this  was 
accepted  as  canonical.  But  suppose  Revelation 
had  distinctly  stated  just  this  one  rudimentary 
fact   about   astronomy — that   the   earth   revolves 


282        TSB:  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

around  the  sun.  It  would  have  greatly  retarded 
the  acceptance  of  the  Book,  and  been  a  stumbling 
block  to  the  Church  for  centuries.  Men  were  not 
prepared  to  receive  what  would  have  been  for 
them  too  advanced  scientific  teachings. 

Now  suppose  this  simple  truth  of  earth's  revolu- 
tion about  the  sun  had  been  unmistakably  taught 
in  the  writings  of  David.  The  results  would  have 
been  still  more  unfortunate.  Men  would  have  be- 
lieved David  to  be  insane.  Nothing  he  said  could 
have  been  credited.  And,  through  many  ages  sub- 
sequent to  him,  the  Scriptures  would  have  con- 
tained a  most  grievous  stumbling  block  for  the 
seeker  after  truth. 

Then  consider  the  perfectly  stupendous  discov- 
eries in  astronomy  made  since  the  time  of  Galileo. 
Suppose  the  substance  of  these  had  been  plainly 
taught  in  the  Book  of  Revelation.  What  would 
have  been  the  result  upon  the  reception  of  that 
Book?  Disastrous  in  the  extreme.  Suppose 
these  astronomical  truths  had  been  plainly  set 
forth  in  the  Psalms,  or  in  Job.  What  ef¥ect  upon 
both  the  Old  Testament  and  the  New?  Multi- 
tudes would  have  rejected  the  whole  volume. 

So  these  wonders  of  science  were  not  plainly 
taught  in  the  Bible.  But  the  Scripture  employs 
such  language  as  is  entirely  compatible  and  con- 
sistent with  these  discoveries,  now  they  have  been 
made.  God's  Word  keeps  opening  more  and 
more.    And  it  is  found  to  be  entirely  harmonious 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  SPIRIT.  283 

with  His  works.  Thus  science  does  not  contra- 
dict, but  confirms  Scripture.  As  science  develops 
more  of  God's  works,  study  discloses  more  of  His 
Word.  And  these  revelations  of  Him  in  the  Word 
are  designed  and  found  to  correspond  with  His 
growing  revelations  of  Himself  in  nature. 

But  suppose  now  that,  in  Scripture,  to  these 
scientific  discoveries,  had  been  added  a  plain  pre- 
sentation of  this  doctrine  that  saints  are  to  inherit 
all  the  empires  of  space,  whose  seeming  boundless- 
ness is  more  and  more  unmistakable;  and  that  this 
is  to  be  their  everlasting  home;  their  university; 
their  pleasure  ground;  the  scene  of  their  highest, 
most  joyous,  unending  activities.  We  cannot  tell 
how  strongly  it  might  have  operated  to  make  the 
world  reject  the  Scriptures  altogether.  It  might 
have  ruined  uncounted  millions  of  immortal 
beings. 

But  all  these  unfortunate  results  are  avoided 
by  the  manner  in  which  the  doctrine  of  man's  com- 
ing universal  range,  and  unrestricted  liberty  is  ac- 
tually developed  in  the  Old  Testament  and  in  the 
New. 

Thus,  in  Genesis,  there  is  a  simple  account  of 
the  mere  rudimentary  facts  about  man's  future 
destiny.  Sufficient  for  the  time,  but  only  partial; 
as  man's  subsequent  history  has  shown.  There  is 
not  even  a  definite  hint  about  the  discovery  of 
the  western  hemisphere.  There  is  simply  the  gen- 
eral command,  "Be  fruitful,  and  multiply,  and  re- 


284         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

plenish  the  earth,  and  subdue  it."  (Gen.  i;  28). 
Then  there  came  a  gradual  development  of  this 
doctrine  which  we  are  now  unfolding.  Some 
things  were  not  designed  to  be  fully  compre- 
hended for  many  generations.  But,  in  the  far-dis- 
tant ages,  they  would  reveal  their  meaning  to  the 
Church. 

What  meant  that  prophecy,  'The  seed  of  the 
woman  shall  bruise  the  serpent's  head?"  Not  un- 
til long  afterward  did  men  fully  understand  how 
the  curse  was  to  be  taken  all  away;  and  "the  Devil 
that  deceived  them"  was  to  be  cast  into  the  lake 
of  fire  and  brimstone  *  *  and  shall  be  tormented 
day  and  night  forever  and  ever."  (Rev.  20;  10). 
And  that  this  should  be  done  by  a  son  of  the 
woman,  which  son  should  receive  his  brethren 
into  the  Holy  City,  the  New  Jerusalem. 

There  was  in  Eden  a  tree  of  life,  which  man 
never  had  been  allowed  to  touch;  and  which  was 
now  guarded  by  the  cherubim.  Was  the  fruit  of 
that  tree  to  be  withheld  from  men  forever  ?  Would 
there  not  be  in  future  some  time  and  some  place, 
in  which  mortals  might  freely  eat  of  its  life-giving 
fruit?  Such  questions  must  inevitably  arise. 
Though  at  first  men  never  dreamed  that  tree 
would  be  found  later  in  the  celestial  city,  there 
accessible  forever  to  the  glorified  saints. 

Of  the  life  to  which  that  tree  referred,  what 
were  the  nature  and  the  possibilities?  Here  were 
other  profound  suggestions.    And  more  and  more 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  SPIRIT.  285 

fully  the  Scriptures  were  to  unfold  the  meaning  of 
them. 

Then  Enoch  was  translated.  Here  was  a  proof 
of  continuing  life  beyond  this  earthly  state.  But, 
before  he  passed  from  earth,  he  uttered  that  far- 
reaching  prophecy,  "Behold,  the  Lord  cometh 
with  ten  thousands  of  his  saints,  to  execute  judg- 
ment upon  all."  (Jude  14-15).  "The  Lord  com- 
eth?" What  will  He  and  the  saints  come  for? 
"To  execute  judgment  upon  all."  Whence  will 
they  come?  Have  they  departed  from  earth,  and 
do  they  come  back  again?  Are  they  already 
clothed  with  bodies?  Or  do  they  receive  bodies 
later?  Whither  do  they  go  next?  As  Enoch 
plainly  prophesied  about  the  judgment;  to  be  in- 
telligible at  all,  he  must  have  foretold  something 
of  what  that  event  involved;  as,  the  return  of  the 
saints  to  earth,  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  the 
transformation  of  the  living,  etc.  Where  was 
Enoch  during  the  interim?  Surely  not  in  this 
world,  but  in  some  other.  And,  if  he  could  go 
from  this  world  to  that  other,  why  not  from  that 
world  to  a  third?  And  from  that  to  a  fourth? 
Where  were  the  other  saints  to  be  meantime?  If 
Enoch  could  go  from  one  world  to  another,  why 
could  not  other  men  do  the  same? 

Third.  But  suppose  Adam  had  not  fallen,  when 
would  he  have  developed  this  power  of  celes- 
tial journeying,  and  of  enjoying  the  universe?  At 
the  time  that  best  pleased  God.    And  how  would 


286         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

he  have  developed  it?  Presumably  as  Enoch  did, 
when  he  went  up  into  heaven. 

If  the  first  Adam  had  not  sinned,  he  would  in 
due  time  have  been  translated  into  the  boundless 
and  heavenly  life.  Exactly  as  the  second  Adam, 
after  He  had  atoned  for  sin,  rose  above  Olivet,  and 
swept  away  into  the  empyrean. 

But,  since  Adam  had  disobeyed,  he  was  not  per- 
mitted to  enjoy  this  power  that  would  have  other- 
wise been  his.  The  great  lesson  which  God  would 
have  taught  by  Adam,  was  taught  by  the  holier 
Enoch,  when  the  latter  was  translated.  Cain's 
slaying  of  Abel,  and  Lamech's  killing  of  his  enemy 
(Gen.  4;  23),  were  not  by  the  will  of  God.  The 
first  person  taken  from  earth  by  the  will  of  God, 
was  Adam.  The  next  person  whom  God  took 
from  earth  was  Enoch.  Though  in  Genesis, 
(Chap.  5,)  the  deaths  of  five  patriarchs  between 
Adam  and  Enoch,  are,  for  the  sake  of  presenting 
each  life  by  itself,  recorded  before  the  translation 
of  Enoch;  as  a  matter  of  fact,  those  deaths  fol- 
lowed his  translation.  This  will  be  seen  by  noting 
the  number  of  years  those  patriarchs  lived.  After 
Adam  died,  the  next  person  who  departed  from 
earth  was  Enoch.  With  the  death  of  the  former, 
is  contrasted  the  translation  of  the  latter. 

As  this  translation  was  designed  to  teach  great 
lessons,  it  could  not  have  been  in  secret  and  un- 
known. It  must  have  been  witnessed.  As  during 
his  sojourn  here,  he  had  taught  that  there  is  an 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  SPIRIT.  287 

existence  beyond  this;  so  now  by  his  ascension,  he 
was  to  teach  the  same.  He  soars  away  from 
earth,  as  the  first  Adam  would  have  done,  and  as 
the  second  Adam  actually  did.  The  departure  of 
Enoch  to  heaven  and  the  departure  of  Jesus,  were 
similar  and  parallel  events.  Only  Enoch's  was 
that  of  a  man  who  had  never  died,  and  Christ's 
that  of  a  man  who  had  died  and  risen.  Of  course 
Enoch's  case  was  the  true  and  original  illustra- 
tion. For,  had  men  lived  according  to  the  divine 
plan,  no  one  ever  would  have  died.  But  the  case 
of  Jesus  shows  how  we  yet  shall  rise,  when  the 
power  of  sin  and  death  has  been  destroyed.  Be- 
tween these  two  typical  cases,  of  course  there  is 
this  difference.  If  a  saint  is  translated,  his  soul 
is  never  separated  from  the  body  at  all,  but  soul 
and  body  immediately  enter  the  glorified  state  to- 
gether. Whereas,  if  a  saint  dies,  though  his  soul 
is  immediately  glorified,  it  does  not  receive  its 
glorified  body  until  later. 

Then  came  God's  prophecy  to  Abraham  about 
the  number  of  his  seed;  i.  e.,  of  those  who  were 
to  be  redeemed. 

"I  will  multiply  thy  seed  as  the  stars  of  the 
heaven,  and  as  the  sand  which  is  upon  the  sea- 
shore." (Gen.  2.2',  17).  And  here  was  a  profound 
meaning  hidden  from  the  eyes  of  men.  hx  first 
one  mentally  criticises  this  text,  for  its  unsatis- 
factory order  of  thought?  First  the  stars,  then  a 
descent  to  the  sands !    An  anti-chmax !    Why  not 


288         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

have  said,  "as  the  sands  and  as  the  stars?"  This 
would  have  sounded  so  much  grander.  For  then 
there  would  have  been  progress  in  the  thought — 
from  the  grain  of  sand  to  the  grandeur  of  the  star. 
But  we  should  have  overlooked  the  deep  import 
of  the  promise.  There  is  a  more  subHme  progress 
in  the  ideas,  as  the  words  now  stand.  As  to  the 
size  of  the  multitude,  the  comparison  of  it  to  the 
sand,  is  by  far  the  stronger  figure.  So,  con- 
fessedly, there  is  an  advancement  in  the  idea  of 
multiplicity,  by  comparison  first  with  the  stars, 
then  with  the  greater  number  of  the  sands. 

The  number  of  the  stars  it  is  of  course  impossi- 
ble accurately  to  determine.  We  called  i£ 
100,000,000  just  for  ease  in  reasoning.  Professor 
Charles  A.  Young,  of  Princeton  University,  writes 
thus:  "The  number  visible  in  the  great  Lick  tele- 
scope, of  three  feet  diameter,  is  probably  nearly 
100,000,000."  (Astronomy,  Sec.  790).  Then 
there  are  the  stars  which  even  the  telescope  can- 
not see,  and  which  are  revealed  only  by  the  pho- 
tographic plate.  Professor  Simon  Newcomb,  in 
his  work  on  "The  Stars,"  says:  "How  many  mil- 
lions may  exist  in  the  heavens  it  is  scarcely  pos- 
sible even  to  guess.  The  photographic  maps  of 
the  heavens  now  being  made  probably  show  more 
than  50,000,000,  perhaps  100,000,000,  possibly 
twice  that  number."  (p.  3).  "The  total  number 
of  the  stars  is  to  be  counted  by  hundreds  of  mil- 
lions."    (p.  320).     It  will  be  observed  that  the 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  SPIRIT.  289 

above  200,000,000  are  not  all  stars  that  have  be- 
come visible  to  the  eye,  even  through  the  largest 
telescope.  Apparently  half  of  them  are  never  re- 
vealed at  all,  save  as  tiny  points  slowly  developing 
upon  a  photographic  plate,  after  long  exposure. 
For  our  highest  number,  we  will  multiply  by  2^ 
the  greatest  number  the  astronomers  regard  as 
possibly  found  even  with  the  photographic  maps. 
Then  the  200,000,000,  multiplied  by  25^,  will  be- 
come 500,000,000. 

As  we  have  seen  (Chap.  VI.  ii.),  the  number  of 
the  saved,  from  this  generation  alone,  cannot  be 
less  than  about  1,750,000,000.  Probably  more 
than  three  times  the  number  of  the  stars  that  are 
known  to  us  to  have  existence.  Nearly  as  many 
others  were  saved  from  the  last  generation.  Prob- 
ably still  more  will  be  saved  in  the  next  genera- 
tion. So,  from  these  three  generations  alone,  will" 
be  saved  1,750,000,000  multiplied  by  3;  i.  e., 
5,250,000,000.  More  than  ten  times  as  many  souls 
as  there  are  known  stars. 

In  the  light  of  such  unquestionable  facts,  the 
promise  that  Abraham's  seed  should  be  as  the 
stars  of  Heaven  for  multitude,  seems  very  tame. 
It  may  be  answered,  God's  promise  when  made 
seemed  wonderful;  was  wonderful.  And  we  have 
here  an  illustration  of  the  manner  in  which  God's 
performance  so  constantly  exceeds  His  promise. 
All  this  is  true.  Again  it  may  be  argued  that,  if 
we  could  be  transported  to  the  highest  spheres 


290         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

above  our  heads,  we  should  instantly  discover  new 
skies,  new  stars,  new  suns,  new  constellations;  and, 
among  them,  perhaps  some  more  magnificent  than 
any  we  now  know.  It  may  be  affirmed  that,  as 
yet,  we  have  seen  but  the  advance  guard  of  the 
hosts  of  worlds;  whose  armies  are  drawn  out  in 
an  ineffable  array,  far  beyond  the  present  ken  of 
man.  This  also  we  may  readily  believe.  But  all 
this  is  supposition.  We  think  the  essence  of  the 
matter  is  not  reached  yet. 

Between  the  multitude  of  stars  and  the  multi- 
tude of  sands,  there  is  almost  the  greatest  differ- 
ence conceivable  among  merely  material  things. 
The  multitude  of  stars  is  radiant  and  majestic. 
Each  one  hath  its  appointed  place.  Many  of  these 
heavenly  bodies  move  in  mighty  orbits  of  their 
own.  And,  far  as  we  can  discover,  their  myriads 
are  dispersed  through  the  unbounded  realms  of 
space.  So  the  seed  of  Abraham  are  to  be  radiant, 
glorious;  each  with  his  appointed  sphere  of  ac- 
tivity, and  ranging  throughout  the  illimitable  em- 
pires of  the  skies.  The  spiritual  descendants  of 
the  patriarch  are  to  be  a  multitude  with  glorious 
characteristics  such  as  these. 

But,  in  number,  they  were  to  far  exceed  the 
stars.  For  now  comes  in  the  second  figure  God 
uses  to  the  patriarch.  His  seed  were  also  to  be 
"as  the  sands  upon  the  seashore."  As  they  were 
to  be  a  multitude  like  the  stars  of  Heaven  in  the 
respects  already  mentioned;  so,   more  than  this, 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  SPIRIT.  291 

they  were  to  be  like  the  sands  upon  the  seashore 
in  their  hosts — a  multitude  for  size  innumerable — 
unthinkable.  The  first  comparison,  "as  the 
stars,"  indicates  more  the  quality  and  the  splen- 
dours of  the  multitude  of  Abraham's  spiritual  de- 
scendants. The  second,  "as  the  sands,"  suggests 
its  quantity,  its  size. 

A  little  later,  at  the  burning  bush,  God  said 
to  Moses,  "I  am  the  God  of  thy  father,  the  God 
of  Abraham,  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of 
Jacob."  (Ex.  3;  6).  This,  as  subsequently  inter- 
preted by  Christ,  taught  that  the  patriarchs  all 
were  living,  in  another  world.  It  veiled  the  doc- 
trine of  immortality.  Taught  that  the  seed  of 
Abraham  were  not  only  to  be  such  hosts  as  we 
have  just  seen,  incomparable,  unspeakable;  but  it 
suggested  that  those  hosts  should  live  forever. 
Showed  that  the  patriarchs  were  living  still.  But 
they  were  not  living  in  this  world.  Hence  there 
must  be  a  larger,  grander  range  of  life  than  merely 
this  which  was  enjoyed  on  earth.  And,  if  they 
could  go  from  this  world  to  a  second,  why  not 
from  that  to  many  another? 

Then  there  was  that  passage  in  Job  (Chap.  38; 
4  and  7).  4.  "Where  wast  thou,  when  I  laid  the 
foundations  of  the  earth  ?  *  *  7.  When  the  morn- 
ing stars  sang  together,  and  all  the  sons  of  God 
shouted  for  joy."  Here  were  celestial  beings, 
who  existed  before  Adam  and  Eve  were  made; 
whose  home  was  not  on   earth,  and  who  dwelt 


292        THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

somewhere  in  the  great  universe,  before  ever  the 
earth  appeared.  "Sons  of  God,"  v^ho,  for  their 
glory  were  described  by  inspiration  as  ''morning 
stars,"  could  they  be  forever  limited  to  some  sin- 
gle spot  in  their  Father's  illimitable  kingdom? 
Was  it  the  divine  intention  that  men,  children  of 
God,  created  upon  earth,  in  the  divine  image; 
were  never  to  become  acquainted  with  these 
higher  intelligences,  their  brethren,  who  were  also 
called  "sons  of  God?"  Was  God's  family  to  be 
forever  sundered?  Surely  it  was  God's  purpose, 
at  some  time,  to  bring  the  sons  of  men  into  con- 
tact and  relations  with  the  bright  spirits  who 
sang  before  man  was  born. 

Or  will  you  say  that  men  did  know  these  celes- 
tial beings,  when  the  latter  visited  the  earth?  But, 
if  these  latter  sons  of  God  could  go  to  and  fro 
at  will  between  their  distant  home  and  earth;  of 
course  they  could  fly  away  to  other  spheres.  Then 
why  might  not  men,  on  some  bright  future  day, 
acquire  the  power  to  go  to  and  fro  at  will  be- 
tween earth  and  that  far-off  land  from  which  these 
heavenly  visitors  had  come  ?  Why  might  not  men 
soar  afar  into  the  blue  to  whatever  other  spheres 
there  are  in  the  whole  vast  firmament  thick-flaked 
with  suns?  Thus  this  lesson,  that  the  children  of 
God  were  not  to  be  confined  to  any  single  world, 
was  gradually  being  brought  out  by  profound 
figure  and  suggestion. 

But  now,   by   Israel's  minstrel  king,  in  grand 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  SPIRIT.  293 

prophetic  Psalm,  it  is  categorically  declared. 
Though  in  poetic  language,  which  was  not  inter- 
preted until  ages  later,  David  teaches  that  this 
was  God's  purpose,  from  the  day  in  which  Adam 
was  created.  The  Psalmist,  while  plainly  referring 
to  what  God  had  said  at  creation  about  man's 
sway  over  the  animal  kingdom,  presents  a  much 
higher  range  of  things  over  which  man  is  to  have 
dominion.  In  Genesis  (Chap,  i;  28),  God  said, 
"Be  fruitful,  and  multiply,  and  replenish  the  earth, 
and  subdue  it;  and  have  dominion  over  the  fish  of 
the  sea,  and  over  the  fowl  of  the  air,  and  over 
every  living  thing  that  moveth  upon  the  earth." 

That  this  statement  of  man's  destiny  was  only 
preliminary,  is  now  shown.  That  God  did  not  de- 
sign for  man  merely  sovereignty  over  animals,  and 
all  things  upon  earth,  is  here  declared  by  the  Holy 
Spirit.  For  we  have  a  fuller  statement  of  what 
God  intended  in  man's  creation.  The  prophecy  in 
Genesis  is  repeated.  But  there  is  an  ampHfication 
of  the  prediction  about  man's  destiny.  The  scope 
of  his  future  is  infinitely  enlarged.  And  the  doc- 
trine of  the  absolute  universality  of  His  heritage 
is  unmistakably,  unequivocally  proclaimed. 

Psalm  8;  3.  "When  I  consider  thy  heavens,  the 
work  of  thy  fingers,  the  moon  and  the  stars,  which 
thou  hast  ordained;  4.  What  is  man,  that  thou  art 
mindful  of  him?  And  the  son  of  man  that  thou 
visitest  him  ? 

5.    For  thou  hast  made  him  a  little  lower  than 


294        THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

the  angels,"  (Revised  Version,  "but  little  lower 
than  God,"),  "and  hast  crowned  him  with  glory 
and  honour." 

This  is  an  advance  upon  the  statement  in  Gene- 
sis.   It  speaks  more  of  man's  spiritual  blessings. 

6.  "Thou  madest  him  to  have  dominion  over 
the  works  of  thy  hands." 

(What  are  the  works  of  God's  hands?  They 
have  just  been  specified.  And  they  are  not  limited 
to  the  things  of  this  world.  They  include  "the 
heavens,  the  work  of  thy  fingers;  the  moon  and 
the  stars  which  thou  hast  ordained.") 

"Thou  hast  put  ail  things  under  his  feet." 
The  expression  is  all-comprehensive.  Nothing 
whatever  is  excluded.  This  was  partly  history, 
and  partly  prophecy.  But  it  was  a  veiled 
prophecy,  not  intended  to  be  then  fully  under- 
stood. 

And,  in  this  Psalm,  only  after  mentioning  the 
above  greatest  things,  does  the  inspired  writer  al- 
lude at  all  to  the  subordinate  things  specified  at 
creation.  These  seem  to  be  now  enumerated,  to 
make  the  catalogue  more  complete.  "Thou  hast 
put  all  things  under  his  feet :"  as, 

7.  "All  sheep  and  oxen,  yea,  and  the  beasts  of 
the  field; 

8.  The  fowl  of  the  air,  and  the  fish  of  the  sea; 
and  whatsoever  passeth  through  the  paths  of  the 
seas." 

"That    the    words    "all   things'    (v.  6)    include 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  SPIRIT.  295 

everything  that  is  mentioned  in  the  Psalm,  both 
small  and  great;  is  unmistakably  taught  by  the 
Holy  Spirit,  when  the  language  He  here  utters 
through  David  is  interpreted  by  what  He  says 
through  Paul  in  Hebrews  2;  6-8;  where  this  lan- 
guage of  the  Psalmist  is  declared  to  be  a  universal 
statement,  to  which  there  is  no  exception  what- 
ever. 

6.  "But  one  in  a  certain  place  testified,  saying, 
What  is  man,  that  thou  art  mindful  of  him?  or 
the  son  of  man,  that  thou  visitest  him? 

7.  Thou  madest  him  a  little  lower  than  the 
angels;  thou  crownedst  him  with  glory  and  hon- 
our, and  didst  set  him  over  the  works  of  thy 
hands : 

8.  Thou  hast  put  all  things  in  subjection 
under  his  feet.  For  in  that  he  put  all  in  sub- 
jection under  him,  he  left  nothing  that  is  not  put 
under  him.  But  now  we  see  not  yet  all  things  put 
under  him." 

It  is  both  a  history  of  God's  purpose  at  creation, 
and  a  prophecy  of  what  shall  be  the  ultimate  ful- 
filment of  that  purpose. 

Consider  Psalm  148;  1-2.  "Praise  ye  the  Lord. 
Praise  the  Lord  from  the  heavens,  praise  him  in 
the  heights.  Praise  ye  him,  all  his  angels,  praise 
ye  him,  all  his  hosts."  Here  is  a  suggestion  of 
great  multitudes  in  "the  heavens,"  not  confined  to 
any  one  place.  Then  this  Psalm  calls  upon  even 
the  great  bodies  of  inanimate  nature,  "sun,  moon. 


296         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

Stars  of  light;"  and  then  upon  all  subordinate 
things,  animate  and  inanimate,  to  praise  Him. 
Only  at  the  close  does  it  refer  at  all  to  people  here 
on  the  earth. 

So  Psalm  150;  I.  "Praise  ye  the  Lord.  Praise 
God  in  his  sanctuary;  praise  him  in  the  firmament 
of  his  power."  This  must  mean  in  the  entire  firm^ 
ament;  not  merely  in  any  local  heaven.  The  city 
of  God  cannot  be  taken  as  equal  in  extent  to  the 
firmament.  Therefore  God  is  to  be  praised  by 
other  beings  outside  the  city  of  God;  but  who  still 
are  not  dwellers  upon  earth.  This  has  no  refer- 
ence whatever  to  inanimate  creatures.  It  does  not' 
call  on  them  to  praise  him.  But  (v.  6),  "Let  every 
thing  that  hath  breath  praise  the  Lord."  That 
they  are  to  "praise  him  in  the  firmament  of  his 
power,"  implies  that  those  who  have  breath  are 
dispersed  throughout  that  firmament. 

Then  came  Elijah,  the  great  reformer,  filled 
with  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  seeking  to  bring  Israel 
back  to  righteousness  that  they  also  might  be 
filled  with  that  same  spirit.  His  career  closed 
with  a  mighty  object  lesson,  suggesting  and  fore- 
shadowing the  great  results  with  which  true  re- 
form at  last  should  culminate  and  be  rewarded — 
namely,  immortality  of  both  soul  and  body.  And 
He  is  swept  away  up  into  the  empyrean,  as  Enoch 
had  been  long  before. 

Thus  twice  we  behold  the  translation  of  men 
who  have  never  felt  the  sting  of  death.     For  this 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  SPIRIT.  297 

was  the  originally  and  divinely  intended  method 
of  ascension.  Not  until  this  has  been  exhibited 
twice,  do  we  once  see  the  ascension  of  a  man  who 
has  passed  through  death,  i.  e.,  Jesus.  And,  at 
last,  when  the  power  of  sin  in  the  Church  has 
ended  forever,  those  who  have  fallen  by  death 
shall  rise  and  ascend  as  Jesus  did.  But  at  least 
one  generation  shall  exhibit  that  wonderful,  beau- 
tiful method  by  which  God,  at  the  beginning,  de- 
signed that  men  should  enter  their  eternal  and 
universal  heritage.  That  last  generation  upon 
earth  shall  never  taste  of  death.  They  shall  sim- 
ply be  changed,  like  patriarch  and  prophet.  Then 
be  caught  up,  and  sweep  away — like  Enoch  and 
Elijah. 

Now  the  promise  God  made  to  Abraham,  is  in- 
terpreted and  explained  by  what  the  Spirit  said 
through  Daniel.  The  prophet  gives  further  light 
upon  the  manner  in  which  the  spiritual  seed  of 
Abraham  should  be  like  the  stars.  Not  in  multi- 
tude alone,  but  in  other  things  as  well.  "They 
that  be  wise  shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of  the 
firmament,"  (i.  e.,  the  sun,)  "and  they  that  turn 
many  to  righteousness  as  the  stars  forever  and 
ever."  (Dan.  12;  3).  That,  in  the  promise  to  the 
Father  of  the  Faithful,  there  was  a  profoundef 
meaning  than  appeared  upon  the  surface,  is  now 
made  clear.  His  seed  are  not  only  to  be  like  the 
stars  in  the  immensity  of  their  multitude,  but  in 
the  character — the  splendour  of  it.     They  are  to 


298         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

shine  as  the  stars.  And  the  stars  shine  how? 
With  incomparable  brilliancy;  for  many  of  them 
are  suns.  They  have  different  degrees  of  glory. 
They  have  far-ranging  courses.  They  are  not 
confined  to  any  one  spot;  they  flame  throughout 
all  known  space. 

Allusion  to  their  movement  along  mighty  path- 
ways, has  been  made  already,  with  reference  to 
our  own  sun  and  planetary  system.  (See  Chap.  IX. 
5).  But  now  come  fresh  and  advancing  concep- 
tions. About  these  we  again  quote  Professor 
Simon  Newcomb.  He  says,  "If  I  were  asked  what 
is  the  greatest  fact  that  the  intellect  of  man  has 
ever  brought  to  light,  I  would  say  it  was  this. 
Through  all  human  history,  nay,  so  far  as  we  can 
discover,  from  the  infancy  of  time,  our  solar  sys- 
tem *  *  *  has  been  flying  through  space  toward 
the  constellation  Lyra,  with  a  speed  of  which  we 
have  no  example  on  earth.  *  *  *  One  of  the  great- 
est problems  of  astronomy  is,  when  and  how  did 
this  journey  begin,  and  when  and  how  will  it  end? 
Before   this    question    our   science    stands    dumb. 

"Nothing  can  give  us  a  better  conception  of  the 
enormous  distance  of  the  stars  than  the  reflection 
that  notwithstanding  the  rapid  motion,  carrying 
us  incessantly  forward  through  all  the  ages  that 
the  human  race  has  been  on  earth,  ordinary  obser- 
vation would  fail  to  show  any  change  in  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  constellation  toward  which  we  are 
travelling.     From  what  we  know  of  the  distance 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  SPIRIT.  299 

of  Vega  we  have  reason  to  suppose  that  our  solar 
system  will  not  reach  the  region  in  which  that  star 
is  now  situated  until  the  end  of  a  period  ranging 
somewhere  between  half  a  million  and  a  million  of 
years  from  the  present  time.  ***** 

"What  is  true  of  our  sun  and  of  Vega  is  true,  so 
far  as  we  know,  of  every  star  in  the  heavens. 
Each  of  these  bodies  is  flying  straight  ahead 
through  space  like  a  ball  shot  out  of  a  cannon, 
with  a  speed  which  in  most  cases  is  almost  incon- 
ceivable. *  *  In  the  great  majority  of  cases  it 
ranges  from  five  to  thirty  miles  per  second — fre- 
quently more  than  fifty  miles. 

*  *  *  *  "The  most  natural  thought  to  present 
itself  is  that  the  stars  are  describing  vastly  ex- 
tended orbits  around  some  centre,  as  the  planets 
are  moving  around  the  sun,  and  that  the  motions 
we  see  are  simply  the  motions  of  these  orbits.  But 
the  facts  do  not  support  this  view.  The  most  re- 
fined observations  yet  made  do  not  show  the 
slightest  curvature  in  the  path  of  any  star.  Every 
one  seems  to  be  going  straight  ahead  on  its  own 
account,  never  swerving  to  the  right  or  left.  *  *  * 
What  makes  the  case  yet  more  difficult  is  that 
different  stars  move  in  different  directions,  with- 
out any  seeming  order,  so  that  one  motion  seems 
to  have  no  connection  with  another,  unless  in  a 
few  very  rare  cases."  (Newcomb.  Astronomy  for 
Everybody,    pp.  325-328). 

And  we  hold  that  the  Prophet  Daniel  refers. 


300         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

not  merely  to  the  splendour  of  their  shining;  but 
also  to  their  other  characteristics;  their  various 
grades  of  lustre  and  sublimity;  their  flight 
through  immeasurable  spaces,  and  the  dispersion 
of  their  bright  presence  throughout  the  entire  uni- 
verse. 

Thus  the  doctrine  of  the  universality  of  man's 
future  range,  is  taught  in  the  Old  Testament  by 
figure,  by  implication,  and  by  unequivocal  state- 
ment. 

We  now  consider  some  utterances  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  in  the  New  Testament.  "For  the  promise 
that  he  should  be  heir  of  the  world,  was  not  to 
Abraham,  and  to  his  seed,  through  the  law,  but 
through  the  righteousness  of  faith."  (Rom.  4; 
13).  We  do  not  recognize  that  there  was  any 
promise  to  Abraham  that  he  should  inherit  the 
world.  He  was  to  inherit  the  land  of  Canaan ;  and, 
in  his  seed,  were  all  the  nations  to  be  blessed.  But 
we  do  not  understand  there  was  any  special  prom- 
ise to  Abraham  that  he  was  to  be  heir  of  the 
world.  The  world  is  but  a  single  iota  in  the  great 
empire  of  God,  of  which  Abraham  is  heir.  His 
seed  were  to  be  in  multitude  like  the  stars — which 
are  a  radiant,  ineffably  glorious  multitude,  dis- 
persed throughout  all  known  space. 

Now  the  Apostle  Paul,  showing  that  salvation 
is  by  faith,  not  by  works,  alludes  to  the  promise 
God  gave  Abraham.  And  we  think  Tanchuma  is 
correct  in  holding  that  the  word  "world"  here 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  SPIRIT.  301 

means  the  "heavens  and  the  earth."  For,  in  the 
text,  the  Greek  word  translated  "world"  is  "cos- 
mos;" the  term  the  Greeks  used  for  the  whole 
universe,  animals,  men,  angels,  the  elements, 
earth,  the  sea,  the  heavens,  all  created  things.  Of 
this  "cosmos"  Abraham  was  heir.  And  this  fur- 
ther shows  the  divine  promise  to  Abraham  that 
his  seed  should  be  as  the  "stars  of  heaven  for  mul- 
titude," had  a  profound  meaning  that  they  were 
to  shine  in  glory  throughout  the  universe  as  do 
the  stars. 

Daniel  had  opened  up  the  meaning  of  that 
prophecy  about  Abraham's  seed,  declaring  that, 
at  the  resurrection,  "they  that  be  wise  shall  shine 
as  the  sun,  and  they  that  turn  many  to  righteous- 
ness as  the  stars  forever  and  ever."  But  the  heav- 
enly hosts  are  radiant,  glorious,  ascendant  every- 
where throughout  God's  illimitable  domains.  As 
the  stars  inherit  the  firmament,  so  Abraham's  seed 
should  inherit  the  boundless  universe.  And  this 
figure  in  Daniel,  Paul  now  confirms  in  Rom.  4; 
13,  where  he  speaks  of  God  as  having  promised 
that  Abraham  should  be  heir  of  the  cosmos,  i.  e., 
all  creation. 

The  same  doctrine  of  the  universality  of  the 
Christian's  heritage  appears  in  this  same  epistle, 
a  few  chapters  further  on.  In  Romans  8;  16,  17, 
we  have  the  text  already  considered:  The  Spirit 
itself  witnesseth  with  our  spirit  "that  we  are  the 
children  of  God;  and,  if  children,  then  heirs,  heirs 


802         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

of  God,  and  joint  heirs  with  Christ."  Psalm  8  had 
spoken  of  the  divine  intention  about  man  when 
the  latter  was  originally  created.  It  also  had 
spoken  prophetically  of  man  redeemed. 

5.  "For  thou  hast  made  him  a  little  lower  than 
the  angels,"  (R.  V.,  "a  little  lower  than  God,") 
"and  hast  crowned  him  with  glory  and  honour, 

6.  "Thou  madest  him  to  have  dominion  over 
the  works  of  thy  hands;  thou  hast  put  all  things 
under  his  feet." 

By  Christ  we  are  enabled  to  recover  and  claim 
again  our  former  prospects.  And  Romans  8;  16, 
alludes  to  our  restored  condition.  But  does  any 
one  suppose  this  kingdom  of  God  of  which  we 
are  heirs;  this  kingdom  of  Christ,  of  which  we  are 
co-heirs,  includes  only  the  things  mentioned  in  the 
last  verses  of  Psalm  8,  "All  sheep  and  oxen,  yea, 
and  the  beasts  of  the  field,  the  fowl  of  the  air,  and 
the  fish  of  the  sea,  and  whatsoever  passeth  through 
the  paths  of  the  sea."  As  heirs  of  Deity,  do  we 
inherit  only  these  things?  Then  we  inherit  no 
more  than  do  the  worshippers  of  Baal  and  Ash- 
taroth,  of  Osiris  and  Isis,  of  Jupiter  and  Juno,  of 
Buddha  and  Brahm.  The  heathen  inherit  these 
things  as  much  as  we. 

Surely  no  one  supposes  this.  The  kingdom  of 
God  is  all  comprehensive.  Of  that  all-embracing 
kingdom  Christ  is  heir.  But,  to  that  same  uni- 
versal empire,  we  have  a  similar  claim  as  heirs  of 
God,  and  as  joint  heirs  with  Christ.     Like  Christ, 


I 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  SPIRIT.  303 

we  are  to  inherit  also  "the  heavens,  the  work  of  his 
fingers,  the  moon  and  the  stars  which  he  has  or- 
dained."    (Ps.  8;  3). 

Next  turn  to  the  last  two  verses  of  this  same 
chapter,  Rom.  8.  "For  I  am  persuaded  that 
neither  death,  nor  life,"  (i.  e.,  the  most  extreme 
ranges  of  human  experience,)  "nor  angels,  nor 
principalities,  nor  powers,"  (i.  e.,  nor  all  good 
spirits,  nor  all  evil  spirits,)  "nor  things  present, 
nor  things  to  come,"  (i.  e.,  nor  time  nor  eternity,) 
"nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor  any  other  creature, 
shall  be  able  to  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God, 
which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord."  "Nor  height, 
nor  depth,  nor  any  other  creature."  This  latter 
phrase,  "any  other  creature,"  surely  includes 
"length  and  breadth."  Then  "nor  height,  nor 
depth,  nor  length  nor  breadth"  shall  be  able  to 
separate  us  from  the  love  of  God  which  is  in 
Christ  Jesus  our  Lord." 

But  what  is  the  significance  of  the  words 
"height  and  depth  ?"  Do  they  refer  to  the  heights 
of  the  mountains,  the  depths  of  the  mines — great- 
est heights  and  depths  we  ordinarily  know  on 
earth?  Such  a  meaning  would  be  utterly  puerile. 
"Height  and  depth,"  with  or  without  "length  and 
breadth,"  which  the  passage  logically  adds,  mean 
the  boundless  ranges  of  space;  from  the  zenith 
overhead,  as  far  remote  as  human  thought  can 
reach;  to  the  nadir  beneath,  equally  far  away.  This 
language  means  more — even  the  dizzy  distances 


304  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

of  unthinkable  creation.  And  why  are  these  men- 
tioned at  all;  save  because  we  are  to  go  out  into 
them,  and  journey  through  them?  As  we  have 
experience  in  life  and  death;  of  angels,  principali- 
ties, and  powers;  things  present  and  things  to 
come;  (i.  e.,  time  and  eternity,)  so  of  "height  and 
depth;"  (length  and  breadth) — the  immeasurable 
kingdoms  of  space.  But,  however  far-reaching 
our  flight  may  be,  these  things  cannot  separate 
us  from  the  love  of  God  in  Christ.  We  may  go 
everywhither.  But,  wherever  we  go,  there  is  the 
love  of  God  in  Christ.  This  we  believe  to  be  the 
meaning  of  this  passage.  This  is  one  feature  of 
the  "glorious  liberty  of  the  children  of  God." 
(Rom.  8;  21). 

What  the  Spirit  teaches  through  Paul  in  Rom- 
ans 8;  he  declares  still  more  plainly,  though  in  a 
little  different  way,  through  Paul  in  I.  Corinthians; 
the  book  which  contains  the  fullest  development  of 
the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection  of  the  body,  and 
its  coming  glory.  "Therefore,  let  no  man  glory 
in  men.  For  all  things  are  yours f  [Greek — the 
universe,  the  whole  creation;]  "whether  Paul,  or 
Apollos,  or  Cephas,  or  the  zvorld,"  [Greek — cos- 
mos,] "or  life,  or  death,  or  things  present,  or 
things  to  come;  all  are  yours;;  and  ye  are  Christ's 
and  Christ  is  God's."    (I.  Cor.  3;  21-23). 

"All  things  are  yours,  whether  Paul,  or  Apollos, 
or  Cephas."  All  spiritual  truth,  whether  revealed 
through  Paul,  Apollos,  Cephas,  Peter,  John,  ox 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  SPIRIT.  305 

any  other  appointed  teacher — is  yours,  "Or  the 
world."  The  cosmos,  properly  the  entire  crea- 
tion, including  all  material  things;  infinite 
space,  with  whatever  it  contains,  is  yours.  "The 
universe  is  yours."*  "Or  life  or  death;"  (same 
as  in  Romans  8,  the  most  comprehensive  experi- 
ences possible  to  human  existence;)  "or  things 
present,  or  things  to  come;"  (time  and  eternity;) 
"all  are  yours."  In  this  passage  is  given  twice  the 
inspired  declaration,  "all  things  are  yours,"  "all  are 
yours" 

Then  again  the  Spirit  through  Paul  brings  out 
the  same  idea  in  His  teaching  about  different  de- 
grees of  glory  at  resurrection.  (I.  Cor.  15;  41-42). 
"There  is  one  glory  of  the  sun,  and  another  glory 
of  the  moon,  and  another  glory  of  the  stars;  for 
one  star  differeth  from  another  star  in  glory.  So 
also  is  the  resurrection  of  the  dead."  At  the 
resurrection  the  saints  have  different  degrees  of 
glory.  But  those  degrees  are  illustrated  by  com- 
parison with  the  most  sublime  and  magnificent 
bodies  in  existence.  Though  the  saints  differ  in 
glory,  they  differ  as  do  the  stars;  all  of  which  have 
incomparable  grandeur  and  majesty,  and  move 
with  tremendous  flight.  And,  if  the  redeemed 
have  such  glories  that  they  are  to  shine  like  the 
heavenly  hosts,  such  character  and  dignity  forbid 
the  idea  that  they  can  possibly  be  "cribbed, 
cabined,  and  confined"  in  any  one  spot,  or  on  any 

*  Dr.  Charles  Hodge  on  this  passage,  In  "Commentary  on  Cor- 
inthians." 


306  THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

one  sphere.  The  spirit  of  the  text  precludes  any 
such  restriction.  As  the  stars,  in  radiant  sover- 
eignty, sweep  and  burn  through  the  Hmitless  king- 
doms of  the  empyrean,  so  shall  the  righteous  rove 
and  shine  unspeakably  glorious  throughout  God's 
universal  empire.     It  all  is  theirs. 

But  is  there  no  exception  to  this  seemingly  all- 
inclusive  language?  The  answer  is  found  in  He- 
brews 2.  Here  the  inspired  writer  quotes  Psalm 
8,  and  interprets  it. 

5.  "For  unto  the  angels  hath  he  not  put  in  sub- 
jection the  world  to  come,  whereof  we  speak. 
[The  Greek  phrase  here  translated  "world"  alter- 
nates with  the  Greek  phrase  "all  things,"  "uni- 
verse," and  is  equivalent  to  it.] 

6.  "But  one  in  a  certain  place  testified,  saying, 
what  is  man  that  thou  art  mindful  of  him;  or  the 
son  of  man  that  thou  visitest  him? 

7.  "Thou  madest  him  a  little  lower  than  the 
angels;"  (marginal  reading,  "for  a  little  while 
lower  than  the  angels;")  "thou  crownedst  him 
with  glory  and  honour,  and  didst  set  him  over  the 
works  of  thy  hands." 

The  word  "him"  in  v.  7,  does  not  mean  Christ. 
Because  Christ  was  the  Creator.  The  pronoun 
"him,"  in  each  clause  of  that  verse,  refers  to  one 
and  the  same  person.  But  that  person  is  not 
Christ.  It  is  not  Jesus.  For  the  first  clause, 
"thou  madest  him  a  little  lower  than  the  angels," 
is  partly  historic.     It  refers  to  the  creation  of  our 


PROM  RELATIONS  TO  SPIRIT.  307 

first  parents.  And  it  was  written  in  Psalm  8,  a 
thousand  years  before  Jesus  was  born.  It  refers  to 
man. 

8.  "Thou  hast  put  all  things  in  subjection  under 
his  feet.  For  in  that  he  put  all  in  subjection  under 
him,  he  left  nothing  that  is  not  put  under  him." 

Here  is  an  absolute,  unqualified,  universal  af- 
firmation. This  declares  the  divine  purpose  at 
creation,  was  that  man  should  enjoy  all  the  works 
of  God's  hands.  But  this  statement  is  partly  pro- 
phetic and  future  in  sense.  Because  the  next 
clause  shows  that  it  has  not  been  fulfilled. 

"But  now  we  see  not  yet  all  things  put 
under  him." 

And  this  again  shows  that  the  passage  does  not 
refer  to  Christ.  Because  all  things  had  already 
been  put  under  the  feet  of  Christ.  It  does  not 
refer  to  Jesus,  because  all  things  had  already  been 
put  under  the  feet  of  Jesus.  He  is  already 
"crowned  with  glory  and  honour."  The  expres- 
sion refers  to  man.  But.  now  we  see  not  yet  man 
enjoying  his  imiversal  heritage.  He  has  not  yet 
entered  into  possession  of  it.  Therefore  all 
things  are  to  come  into  subjection  under  his  feet 
later. 

9.  "But"  (R.  V.)  "we  behold  him  who  hath 
been  made  a  little  lower  than  the  angels,"  [that 
he  might  take  the  place  of  fallen  man,]  "even 
Jesus,  because  of  the  suffering  of  death  crowned 
with  glory  and  honour,  that  by  the  grace  of  God, 


308         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

he  should  taste  death  for  every  man."     [I.  e.,  to 
bring  fallen  man  to  glory  and  honour.] 

Jesus  has  entered  upon  that  universal  heritage 
already.    We  shall  enter  upon  it  a  little  later. 

10.  "For  it  became  him,  for  whom  all  all 
things,,  and  by  whom  are  all  things,"  [i. 
e.,  God,]  in  bringing  many  sons  unto  ^lory," 
[i.  e.,  the  glory  which  God  himself  has,  and  is  to 
share  with  all  his  sons,]  "to  make  the  captain  of 
their  salvation  perfect  through  sufferings. 

11.  "For  both  he  that  sanctifieth  and  they  who 
are  sanctified  are  all  of  one :  for  which  cause  he 
is  not  ashamed  to  call  them  brethren." 

"Are  all  of  one,"  i.  e.,  one  family,  one  human 
nature,  one  glorified  nature,  one  title,  and  one  in- 
heritance. Christ  and  His  disciples  have  like  rights. 
They  are  heirs  together.  So  He  is  not  ashamed  to 
recognize  them  as  brethren,  and  as  heirs  of  God.    ^ 

The  first  utterance  of  this  doctrine  by  David, 
the  great  progenitor  of  Christ,  receives  its  final 
explanation  in  Hebrews,  which  presents  Christ's 
priesthood,  through  which  He  saves  fallen  man, 
and  restores  him  to  his  original  estate.  Thus  what 
the  Holy  Spirit  had  affirmed  through  David,  in 
Psalm  8;  6;  the  Spirit  now  authoritatively  inter- 
prets  through  Paul  in  Hebrews  2;  7-8.  Of  this 
passage  Dr.  Charles  Hodge  remarks  thus :  "When 
David  said  God  had  put  'all  things'  under  the 
feet  of  man,  he  probably  little  thought  that  'all 
things'  meant  the  whole  universe."     (Systematic 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  SPIRIT.  30S 

Theology.  Vol.  I,  p.  165).  But  Paul  declares 
that,  in  Ps.  8,  the  statement  of  what  God  had  done 
for  man — "Thou  madest  him  to  have  dominion 
over  the  words  of  thy  hands;  thou  hast  put  all 
things  under  his  feet;"  was  unqualified  and  all- 
comprehensive. 

This  doctrine  is  stated  twice  by  Paul  in  I.  Cor, 
3;  21-23,  ^s  we  have  just  seen.  So  now  again  it 
is  twice  declared  by  him  in  Hebrews  2.  I.  Posi- 
tively. "Thou  hast  put  all  things  in  subjection  under 
his  feet.'"  II.  Negatively.  To  the  above  statement, 
there  is  no  exception.  "For  in  that  he  put  all  in 
subjection  under  him,  he  left  nothing  that  is  not  put 
under  him." 

Thus,  in  what  is  proclaimed  by  the  Holy  Spirit 
alone,  whose  mission  is  to  guide  us  into  all  truth; 
man's  future  heritage  is  declared  to  be  absolutely 
universal.     From  it  nothing  is  excluded. 

God's  revelation  by  His  Word  is  closed. 
Through  all  the  study  of  the  ages,  there  has  not 
been  much  progress  or  increase  in  our  knowledge 
of  the  way  of  life.  The  fundamental  principles  of 
faith,  in  spiritual  things,  remain  the  same.  From 
the  beginning,  he  meant  the  path  toward  Heaven 
to  be  luminous;  that  the  wayfaring  man  might  not 
err  therein.  It  is  through  Jesus  Christ,  the  same 
yesterday,  to-day  and  forever. 

But  there  are  some  Hnes  of  truth  in  the  Bible, 
which  have  not  been  sufficiently  investigated  and 
developed.    In  natural  science,  knowledge  is  still 


310         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

progressing.  God  did  not  teach  this  so  much  by 
direct  revelation.  It  was  a  thing  upon  which  He 
meant  that  we  should  exercise  our  own  powers. 
And  by  this  science  we  get  more  light  upon  some 
things  in  God's  word. 

As  belief  that  the  creative  days  were  of  twenty- 
four  hours  each,  gave  way  to  the  enlarged  concep- 
tion which  made  each  day  an  age ;  as  the  fancy  that 
the  sun  revolved  around  the  earth,  vanished  be- 
fore the  truth  that  the  entire  solar  system  revolves 
around  the  sun;  so  the  dream  that  our  future  life 
is  limited  to  a  local  heaven,  must  yield  to  the  more 
Scriptural  and  philosophical  teaching  that  the 
local  heaven,  however  overwhelming  in  its  own 
glory,  it  still  more  ineffable  as  but  the  centre  of 
God's  boundless  universe;  all  of  which  is  to  be  the 
Christian's  everlasting  heritage.  In  that  Holy 
City,  the  future  life  is  suggested,  indicated  and  ex- 
hibited, but  not  exhausted.  The  walls  of  the  New 
Jerusalem  define  only  the  metropolis  of  that  heav- 
enly country,  but  not  its  measure. 

As  the  1030  stars  known  to  Ptolemy  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  second  century,  were  found  to  be  only 
the  advanced  sentinels  of  hosts  innumerable  drawn 
out  on  the  fields  of  night;  so  the  apparent  Bible 
teaching  of  a  local  heaven  is  found  to  be  simply 
germinal.  That  city  of  God  shall  stand  forever; 
its  beauty  glorious,  ineffable,  and  divine.  But  its 
interest  is  unspeakably  and  forevermore  enhanced; 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  SPIRIT.  311 

as  it  is  found  to  be  the  starting  point  of  a  universe 
corresponding  to  itself. 

The  evidences  of  this  are  so  colossal  it  is  not 
easy  even  to  recapitulate  them.  But  God  has  be- 
stowed upon  the  glorified  soul,  whether  with  or 
without  its  glorified  body,  capacity  for  far-ranging 
celestial  flight.  And  this  argument  alone  would 
be  enough.  He  has  implanted  in  thoughtful 
human  minds  an  almost  universal  desire  to  ex- 
plore His  domains,  from  such  motives  as  love  for 
beauty,  thirst  for  scientific  lore,  or  longing  to  un- 
derstand and  honour  him.  These  aspirations  were 
not  given  to  be  forever  crushed. 

The  Father's  attitude  toward  us  shows  they  will 
be  gratified.  His  love  guarantees  this.  It  gives 
as  it  were  Himself,  His  Son,  His  Spirit,  His  City, 
and  His  Universe.  That  He  will  make  our  herit- 
age all-embracing,  is  taught  of  Him  both  by  plain 
and  figurative  language.  With  spiritual  gifts  will 
go  material  blessings  also.  His  abode  and  ours  are 
coterminous.  But  His  house  of  "many  mansions" 
is  the  universe.  Without  knowing  His  visible 
works,  we  cannot  know  Him.  Hence  we  must 
study  them,  that  the  invisible  things  of  the  God- 
head may  be  better  understood.  It  is  for  His  in- 
terest, as  well  as  ours,  that  we  should  explore  His 
kingdom,  so  we  may  glorify  Him  more. 

Our  everlasting  instruction  about  Him  must  re- 
gard the  whole  creation.  Our  future  enjoyment 
is    to    include    "all    things."      We    shall    not    be 


312         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

forever  tantalized  by  Incarceration  on  one  lone 
orb,  with  only  far-off  views  of  His  other  innumer- 
able and  stupendous  masterpieces.  We  shall  see, 
not  only  His  foot-stool  and  His  throne,  but  also 
His  empire.  In  their  future  glorification,  the 
saints  themselves  shall  be  like  stars  and  suns,  and 
sweep  with  ineffable  splendour  through  the  firma- 
ment. He  has  promised  us  absolute  and  unre- 
stricted title  to  "a//  things" — tJic  entire  universe. 

From  Christ's  attitude  toward  us,  follow  like 
conclusions.  Such  love  as  gave  His  life,  must  ex- 
hibit to  us  His  material  possessions.  Mere  af- 
fection for  us  as  friends  would  do  this;  and  He 
has  unlimited  power  to  manifest  that  affection. 
There  are  still  closer  relations  to  Him  than  friend- 
ship brings.  He  owns  creation;  and  it  is  for  His 
family — because  each  saint  is  His  "brother  and 
sister  and  mother."  He  is  heir  of  all  things, 
but  we  are  joint-heirs  with  Him.  There  is  a  con- 
jugal claim.  He  is  the  bridegroom,  we  are  the 
bride — "one  flesh"  with  Him.  And  His  bride 
the  Church  must  share  His  infinite  estate.  There 
is  an  organic  union — He  is  the  head,  and  we  are 
the  members.  But  He  is  head  over  "all 
things  to  the  Church,"  ruling  all  things  for 
the  best  interests  of  the  Church,  and  that  He  may 
throw  open  wide  the  cosmos  to  all  members  of 
His  mystic  body.  God  loved  Christ  enough  to 
give  Him  the  universe.  But  as  God  loved  Christ, 
so  Christ  loves  us. 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  SPIRIT.  313 

There  is  the  profoundest  union  of  which  we  can 
possibly  conceive.  As  Christ  is  one  with  God, 
so  the  saints  are  one  with  Christ,  We  are  to  see 
His  glory.  But  it  overflows  creation.  Hence  we 
must  have  universal  range.  We  are  to  be  where 
He  is.  But  His  divine  nature  is  everywhere,  and 
His  human  nature  may  go  anywhere.  Therefore 
we  may  go  everywhither.  We  are  to  "have  life, 
and  to  have  it  more  abundantly."  But  this  must 
be  developed  through  study  of  all  things,  material 
as  well  as  spiritual.  We  are  to  share  His  glory. 
But  this  includes  enjoyment  of  all  things, 
physical,  as  well  as  intellectual  and  moral.  And 
He  has  promised  participation  in  His  sovereignty. 
We  are  to  sit  with  Him  in  His  throne. 

From  the  Spirit's  attitude  toward  believers,  like 
lessons  follow.  They  are  taught  in  statements 
profound,  varied,  and  unequivocal.  He  says  all 
things  are  working  for  our  good.  That  in- 
cludes all  stars  and  suns.  Yea,  all  things  are 
literally  ours.  There  is  to  be  a  new  holy  earth, 
and  new  holy  heavens,  wherein  righteous  beings 
dwell.  He  is  to  teach  us  "all  truth."  But 
that  includes  whatever  is  found  in  boundless  space, 
throughout  past  and  future  eternities  of  duration. 
So  part  of  His  reference  library  must  be  the  cos- 
mos. He  declares  that  under  our  feet  shall  be  put 
all  things,  and  nothing  is  excepted. 

The  overwhelming  conception  is  taught  by 
Father,  Son  and  Spirit.     It  is  presented  through 


314         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

patriarch,  priest,  lawgiver,  seer,  king,  reformer, 
and  apostle.  It  appears  in  history,  in  prophecy,  in 
psalm,  in  gospel,  in  epistle,  and  in  apocalypse.  It 
is  affirmed  by  most  direct,  unqualified,  all-embrac- 
ing and  grandly  universal  utterances;  also  brought 
out  by  many  implications.  It  runs  through  the 
Bible  from  Genesis  to  Revelation. 

In  numerous  passages  of  Scripture,  interpreters 
hitherto  have  not  dared  to  give  God's  Word  the 
full  meaning,  the  infinite  significance  which  that 
Word  was  intended  by  the  Holy  Spirit  to  impart. 
But  the  Church  is  gradually  coming  to  appreciate 
more  fully  the  greatness  of  its  heritage.  Among 
the  future  events  foretold  by  the  prophecies  of 
Scripture,  there  are  few  other  things  so  plainly 
developed  as  this,  that  the  entire  universe  is  to 
be  our  possession.  Than  the  predictions  which 
present  this  truth,  no  more  unmistakable  and  un- 
qualified prophecies  are  given  by  the  Deity. 

Criticism  may  be  made  upon  the  method  of 
stating,  arranging,  and  combining  some  of  the 
above  arguments,  but  the  aggregate  of  proof 
which  they  contain,  can  by  no  possibility  be  set 
aside.  As  the  handful  of  prismatic  jewels  in  a 
kaleidoscope  may  take  many  relative  positions, 
each  developing  some  new  beauty,  so  these  Bibli- 
cal teachings  may  be  combined  in  many  ways: 
each  possessing  its  peculiar  interest.  As,  in  study- 
ing the  heavens,  it  is  difficult  to  decide  where  to 
concentrate  one's  attention;  so  about  these  great 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  SPIRIT.  316 

texts,  it  is  hard  to  tell  which  ones  most  to  em- 
phasize. It  seems  impossible  to  find  any  one 
method  of  presentation,  which  combines  all  excel- 
lences. 

But  the  consentient  meaning  of  these  state- 
ments of  Scripture  cannot  be  misunderstood.  In 
brief,  it  is  this :  The  Father  has  promised  to  give 
us  all  things,  as  He  gave  them  to  the  Son. 
The  Son  has  promised  that  we  shall  reign  over 
all  things,  as  He  does  Himself.  The  Holy 
Spirit  is  to  expound  to  us  all  things,  with 
instruction  all-comprehensive.  And  He  declares 
to  us,  ''all  things  are  yours" 

Regarding  our  relations  to  each  and  every  Per- 
son of  the  Trinity,  without  reference  to  the  other 
two,  the  Scriptures  contain  enough  to  make  it  en- 
tirely clear  that  we  are  to  enjoy  these  universal 
possessions.  The  statements  about  each  Person 
of  the  Godhead,  taken  solely  by  themselves,  are 
like  organ  music  whose  fundamental  motive  can- 
not be  mistaken.  But,  taken  together,  these  in^ 
spired  statements  about  what  is  to  be  done  by 
God,  by  Christ,  and  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  accord 
like  choral  antiphonies,  sung  by  celestial  choirs. 
And  their  refrain  is  this — that  our  inheritance  is 
to  be  all-inclusive  and  everlasting.  The  universe 
is  to  be  ours  forever. 

Unmistakably,  repetitiously  aiifirmed;  inter- 
woven with  the  entire  texture  of  the  Word,  is  this 
great  dominant  idea,  that  the  saints  are  to  inherit 


316         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

all  the  boundless  empires  of  the  Deity.  The  rock- 
cut  sanctuaries  of  Hindustan,  the  majestic  glories 
of  the  Parthenon,  shall  one  day  disappear.  Of 
Karnak's  Columned  Hall,  pylons  and  pillars  must 
crumble  back  to  dust.  The  religions  which  these 
shrines  honoured,  shall  be  only  memories. 

But  this  supreme,  o'er-arching  Temple  of  Uni- 
versal Truth;  uplifted  with  sculptured  frieze,  and 
pediment,  and  mighty  dome,  within  which  burns 
forever  the  Shekinah  fire,  speaking  of  God's  pres- 
ence and  the  eternal  sacrifice — inviting  all  men  to 
come  and  worship  and  rejoice;  upon  whose  front 
in  blazing  letters  shines  the  promise  that  our  fu- 
ture heritage  shall  be  all-comprehensive; — this 
colossal  fabric  must  seem  only  sounder,  stronger, 
and  more  resplendent  with  the  lapse  of  time.  For 
it  is  built  on  the  fundamental  teachings  of  Father, 
Son,  and  Spirit;  which  stand  imperishable  forever. 

This  doctrine  lay  buried  in  the  bosom  of  pro- 
found passages  of  unfathomed  meaning.  Though, 
for  a  season,  they  were  overlooked;  these  prophe- 
cies were  no  more  obscure  than  many  others 
which  subsequently  grew  luminous.  They  are  the 
most  unqualified  in  the  Bible.  Free  and  unre- 
stricted, they  refuse  to  bear  any  fetters  of  limita- 
tion. Mighty  universals,  they  cannot  be  evaded 
by  any  interpretation  which  would  make  them 
merely  fractional.  They  never  can  be  satisfied 
with  what  is  found  in  any  city,  or  on  any  sphere, 
even  though  it  be  paradise. 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  SPIRIT.  317 

In  the  presence  of  these  great  texts,  whose 
depths  are  soundless,  whose  scope  is  measureless, 
and  whose  heights  no  human  intellect  can  scale; 
any  theory  that  we  are  to  be  confined  in  a  single 
world,  no  matter  where  or  what  it  is,  must  forever 
be  abandoned.  We  are  not  to  be  merely  citizens 
of  the  New  Jerusalem,  but  also  of  the  universe. 

The  question  whether  the  future  site  of  the  New 
Jerusalem  may  not  be  upon  earth  purified,  has  al- 
ready been  discussed.  And  we  have  argued  that 
city  never  will  be  transferred  from  its  present  dis- 
tant location  to  this — one  of  the  least  important 
among  the  planets. 

The  question  of  that  locality  was  always  com- 
paratively unimportant.  The  difficulty  was,  not  to 
determine  where  Heaven  might  be,  but  where  it 
might  not  be.  There  were  millions  and  millions 
of  luminous  worlds,  upon  any  one  of  which  it 
might  have  its  place.  And  the  matter  of  locality 
is  now  much  less  important,  since  the  saints  are 
to  go  everywhere.  If  Heaven  is  to  remain  where 
it  is  at  present,  still  the  saints  may  come  back  to 
earth.  If  the  celestial  city  is  to  be  on  earth,  still 
saints  may  visit  the  sphere  on  which  Heaven  was 
situated  in  the  past.  These  predictions  about  our 
future  home  include  the  Holy  City,  wherever  it 
may  be;  then  billow  away  beyond  it,  far  as  do  the 
domains  of  Deity.  Heaven  is  but  the  capital  of 
the  empires  of  GocJ.     From  that  metropolis,  and 


318         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

throughout  all  His  realms,  saints  may  journey 
everywhither. 

Heaven  may  be  the  holiest  of  holies.  But  the 
entire  creation  will  be  a  holy  place.  "We  look 
for  new  heavens  and  a  new  earth,  wherein  dwell- 
eth  righteousness;"  i.  e.,  a  purified  universe, 
throughout  which  the  righteous  dwell.  (See 
Chap.  XI.;  ii,  Third.)  Both  the  earth  and  the 
heavens,  forever  their  abode.  Save  only  the  re- 
gion of  the  lost,  there  is  no  portion  of  the  universe 
in  which  they  may  not  be  at  home.  That  cosmos 
is  a  paradise. 

Why  is  there,  in  the  Book  of  Revelation,  rela- 
tively little  about  these  material  features  of  our 
future  blessedness,  while  there  is  so  much  about 
its  spiritual  elements;  also  about  praise,  adoration 
of  the  Deity,  and  worshipping  in  His  presence? 

1.  Because  both  the  material  and  the  merely 
intellectual  are  forever  outweighed  by  the 
spiritual. 

2.  Because  without  that  spirit  which  worships 
and  adores,  that  truest  consecration,  we  never  can 
enjoy  this  universal  heritage  at  all.  Without 
sanctity  of  soul,  we  cannot  see  God.  Without 
holiness  of  heart,  we  cannot  explore  His  works. 
That  must  precede  the  power  of  celestial  flight. 

3.  Again  the  Creator  is  greater  than  creation. 
And  the  end  of  our  study  of  the  wonders  He  has 
made,  throughout  His  immeasurable  empires,  is 
to  bring  us  back  to  worship  with  higher  rapture, 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  SPIRIT.  319 

with  more  ecstatic  praise,  the  bright  sun-clad 
Father  and  the  star-crowned  Son.  For  them  the 
hosts  of  Heaven,  both  spiritual  and  material,  hon- 
our forevermore. 

It  seems  to  have  been  the  divine  intention  that 
the  doctrine  of  the  comprehensiveness  of  the 
saint's  inheritance,  and  the  universality  of  his 
range  in  the  future  life,  should  not  be  grasped  by 
the  early  Church;  but  should  come  out  later. 

Discovery  of  the  magnitude  and  majesty  of 
God's  infinite  domain,  has  for  cycles  been  pro- 
gressing. The  Bible  did  not  reveal  or  even  sug- 
gest the  extent  of  the  universe.  Men  were  left  to 
ascertain  something  of  it,  and  long  to  journey 
through  it.  But  now  astronomy  has  disclosed  to 
us  more  of  the  external  cosmos,  which  is  beyond 
conception.  The  squadrons  of  constellations 
march  and  countermarch  far  as  science  can  ex- 
plore. And  it  is  reasonable  to  search  those  pas- 
sages of  Scripture,  conceded  to  be  of  unknown 
breadth  and  depth,  to  see  if  there  are  in  them 
meanings  unsuspected  hitherto,  which  take  fitting 
cognizance  of  the  now  universally  accepted  revela- 
tions of  God's  works.  The  Bible  was  written  in 
ordinary  language,  to  be  understood  by  ordinary 
men.  But  that  language  was  inspired.  It  accords 
with  all  geology  has  discovered.  Does  it  also  ex- 
pand to  take  in  the  revelations  of  astronomy? 
Yes.  Now  it  is  found  the  Bible  plainly  teaches 
that  man,  with  his  glorified  body,  shall  have  the 


320         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

whole  unspanned  creation  in  which  to  make  his 
journeyings.  The  child  of  God  shall  be  permitted 
to  explore  his  Father's  empire,  and  enjoy  it.  As- 
tronomy, by  ineffably  magnificent  interpretation 
of  Scripture,  has  given  boundless  enlargement  to 
our  conception  of  the  future  life. 

But  the  development  of  this  doctrine  was  pro- 
gressive in  the  Bible  itself.  In  the  Old  Testa- 
ment was  the  germ.  In  the  New  Testament  is 
the  efflorescence.  And,  though  these  things  were 
very  unmistakably  taught,  it  was  in  such  a  way 
they  would  not  be  fully  understood  by  the  Church 
until  the  proper  time  had  come.  Still,  if  Kepler 
spent  so  many  years  in  learning  a  few  facts  about 
planetary  laws,  and  if  our  other  interpretations  of 
nature  have  been  in  some  respects  so  slow,  is  it 
strange  that,  in  the  kingdom  of  grace  and  revela- 
tion we  have  moved  but  gradually  in  comprehend- 
ing some  of  the  profound  doctrines  of  the  Word? 
This  principle  was  not  proclaimed  in  a  way  to  at- 
tract attention  at  first.  It  was  hidden  in  ranges  of 
truth  that  were  like  the  great  mountains;  full  of 
silver  and  gold,  but  waiting  to  be  mined.  It  lay 
buried  in  the  depths  of  texts  which  were  profound 
enough  before  this  doctrine  was  discovered,  but 
which,  with  it,  are  unfathomable.  In  the  Arabian 
tale  is  the  wonderful  pavilion,  which  could  be 
packed  in  a  nutshell,  yet  opened  to  cover  an  en- 
tire army.  But  many  of  these  passages  of  Scrip- 
ture are  far  more  wonderful,     Equally  compact. 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  SPIRIT.  321 

they  expand  to  include  all  the  starry  squadrons  of 
the  firmament.  And,  when,  at  last,  this  idea  of 
the  universality  of  man's  inheritance  is  unfolded, 
it  is  found  to  be  bulwarked  with  colossal  proof, 
established  upon  the  iron  and  the  rock  of  an  im- 
pregnable foundation.  God's  Word  and  His 
Works  are  companion  volumes  of  a  stupendous 
apocalypse.  When  His  Works  are  discovered  to 
af!irm  an  infinite  universe,  His  Word  is  found  to 
be  harmonious  with  them,  and  to  claim  that  en- 
tire cosmos  for  the  children  of  the  King. 

Yea,  though  the  universe  should  change,  no 
question  ever  could  arise  upon  our  title  to  it.  For, 
through  all  its  changes,  the  creation  is  to  be  for- 
ever ours. 

Men  read  the  first  pages  of  the  Bible,  and 
thought  they  had  read  aright.  But  geology  was 
God's  commentary  upon  Genesis.  His  science 
written  on  the  rocks,  was  unmistakable  as  was  His 
law,  upon  its  tables  of  stone.  Then  the  Rocks 
lifted  up  their  voices,  and  to  the  Church  they 
said,  "Read  again,  and  read  in  the  light  we  show." 

So  men  read  the  last  pages  of  the  Bible,  and 
thought  they  had  read  aright.  But  now  two  hun- 
dred millions  of  stars  and  suns  pour  their  bright 
beams  upon  the  Word.  And  they  say,  "Read 
again,  and  read  in  the  light  we  shed."  And,  in 
their  dazzling  radiance,  we  behold  things  which 
before  we  did  not  see.  For  the  flaming  worlds 
are  God's  expositors  of  the  promise  that  His  chil- 


322         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

dred  shall  inherit  all  things."  In  Joseph's 
prophetic  dream,  sun,  moon,  and  eleven  stars, 
made  obeisance  unto  him.  (Gen.  37;  9).  But,  in 
our  coming  open  vision,  all  stars,  all  suns,  and  all 
constellations,  shall  make  obeisance  unto  us. 

Thus  wrote  Augustine,  "I  looked  upon  the 
starry  hosts,  and  said  unto  them,  'Tell  me  some- 
thing about  Him.'  "  They  answered  with  a  great 
voice,  "He  made  us !"  We  look  upon  more  worlds 
than  Augustine  e'er  saw  or  dreamed,  and  we  re- 
echo, "Tell  us  something  more  of  Him."  They 
turn  their  faces  full  upon  us  and  reply,  "He  made 
us  to  be  yours  forever.   All  things  are  yours." 

Great  though  the  Church  has  justly  deemed 
God's  promises  about  the  future,  it  has  never  be- 
gun to  appreciate  the  splendours  of  those  prom- 
ises regarding  physical  and  material  things.  We 
shall  know  the  pathways  among  the  stars.  These 
more  familiar  to  us  than  the  streets  of  any  earthly 
city,  for  they  are  the  thoroughfares  of  our  eternal 
home.  Whatever  there  is  east,  west,  north,  or 
in  the  chambers  of  the  south,  in  the  depths  be- 
neath, or  in  the  heights  above,  we  shall  behold  it. 

God's  Word  is  an  inspired  revelation  of  His 
mind  to  us  in  our  present  state.  It  is  the  plainest 
and  the  best.  And  what  more  overwhelming  ideas 
does  it  unfold  than  those  connected  with  this  con- 
ception of  the  universality  of  the  Christian's  com- 
ing heritage?  But  earth  is  another  inspired  vol- 
ume, when  we  learn  to  interpret  it  aright.     And, 


FROM  RELATIONS  TO  SPIRIT.  323 

in  the  life  to  be,  as  we  realize  how  much  our  in- 
heritance involves,  each  of  the  uncounted  spheres 
may  prove  an  inspired  revelation,  and  through 
these  new  light  may  break  forth  from  the  mind 
of  God. 

The  entire  universe  is  ours.  We  shall  reign 
over  it.  We  shall  have  the  right  to  explore  it, 
to  investigate  it,  and  divine  help  to  understand  it. 
The  testimony  of  the  Bible  is  varied,  repetitious, 
conclusive,  and  emphatic.  Every  ransomed  spirit 
shall  have  those  boundless  realms  for  his  posses- 
sion, in  which  to  make  his  abode,  to  study  and  en- 
joy the  works  of  God,  and  to  adore  Him  forever- 
more. 

For  Scripture  has  taught,  with  unmistakable  ut- 
terance, this  idea  that  the  Christian  is  adopted 
into  the  royal  family  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Spirit,  and  shall  own  the  infinite  creation.  This 
is  man's  home — the  family  estate,  wherein  God 
and  His  children  shall  forever  dwell. 

God !  The  whole  earth  full  of  Him.  God !  The 
whole  universe  overflowing  with  His  presence. 
God  in  the  past,  God  in  the  present,  God  in  the 
boundless  ages  of  the  future!  And  man — God's 
beloved  child;  ranging  with  filial  confidence  and 
affection  throughout  the  ineffable  empire  God  has 
made.  Saying  where'er  He  goes,  "I  am  in  my 
Father's  house.  Wherever  God  is,  there  is  home. 
Whatever  I  behold,  is  mine." 


324         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

Does  this  conception  overwhelm?  Before  it 
does  the  spirit  faint?  Does  it  suggest  thoughts 
too  great  for  us  to  think,  feeHngs  too  deep  for  us 
to  feel?  But  it  cannot  be  set  aside.  It  is  the  pro- 
foundest  teaching  of  THE  WORD. 


I 


CHAPTER  XIII 

SOME     DEDUCTIONS     FROM     THE     FOREGOING     DOC- 
TRINE 

According  to  the  conception  at  present  enter- 
tained by  many,  the  future  Hfe,  though  everlast- 
ing, is  comparatively  restricted  in  the  scope  al- 
lowed to  the  glorified  body.  But,  according  to 
the  true  Biblical  teaching,  that  life  becomes  infi- 
nite both  in  duration  and  in  range. 

I.  Shall  the  saints  inherit  the  earth  ?  Yes.  Also 
the  moon,  the  sun,  the  planets,  all  stars,  and  all 
constellations. 

Therefore  every  child  of  God,  as  he  looks  out 
upon  the  fields  of  night,  may  rightly  say,  "I  shall 
one  day  stand  among  the  clusters  of  the  Pleiades; 
from  a  near  viewpoint  I  shall  behold  the  orbs  that 
gird  Orion,  and  shall  survey  Arcturus  with  his 
Sons.  I  shall  not  only  see  these  things,  but  pos- 
sess them,  reign  over  them,  and  enjoy  them. 

Heaven  may  be  a  sanctuary,  the  temple  of  the 
universe,  in  which  we  shall  especially  worship  God, 

325 


326         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

and  meet  with  one  another.  But  our  abode  is  the 
limitless  creation. 

We  have  already  gathered  tremendous  assist- 
ance from  astronomy.  But  a  momentary  further 
allusion  to  it  will,  with  progressive  thought,  en- 
large still  farther  our  aspiration.  And  who  can 
grasp  such  ideas?  All  around  the  solar  system  for 
an  unthinkable  distance  are  abysses  of  space  that 
are  entirely  void.  Says  Professor  Simon  New- 
comb,*  "If  we  could  fly  across  the  whole  breadth 
of  our  system,  we  should  not  be  able  to  see  that 
we  were  any  nearer  the  stars  in  front  of  us,  nor 
would  the  constellations  look  in  any  way  different 
from  what  they  do  from  our  earth.  An  astrono- 
mer armed  with  the  finest  instruments  would  be 
able  to  detect  a  change  only  by  the  most  exact 
observations,  and  then  only  in  the  case  of  the 
nearer  stars. 

"A  conception  of  the  respective  magnitudes  and 
distances  of  the  heavenly  bodies,  *  *  *  may  be 
gained  by  supposing  us  to  look  at  a  little  model 
of  it.  Let  us  imagine  that,  in  this  model  of  the 
universe,  the  earth  on  which  we  dwell  is  repre- 
sented by  a  grain  of  mustard  seed.  The  moon 
will  then  be  a  particle  about  one-fourth  the  diam- 
eter of  the  grain,  placed  at  a  distance  of  an  inch 
from  the  earth.  The  sun  will  be  represented  by  a 
large  apple,  placed  at  a  distance  of  forty  feet. 
Other  planets,  ranging  in  size  from  an  invisible 


'Astronomy  for  Everybody,"  pages  7-8. 


DEDUCTIONS  FROM  FOREGOING  FACTS.        327 

particle  to  a  pea,  must  be  imagined  at  distances 
from  the  sun  varying  from  ten  feet  to  a  quarter  of 
a  mile.  We  must  then  imagine  all  these  little  ob- 
jects to  be  slowly  moving  around  the  sun  at  their 
respective  distances,  in  times  varying  from  three 
months  to  i6o  years.  As  the  mustard  seed  per- 
forms its  revolution  in  the  course  of  a  year  we 
must  imagine  the  moon  to  accompany  it,  making 
a  revolution  around  it  every  month. 

"On  this  scale  a  plan  of  the  whole  solar  system 
can  be  laid  down  in  a  field  half  a  mile  square.  Out- 
side of  this  field  we  should  find  a  tract  broader 
than  the  whole  continent  of  America  without  a 
visible  object  in  it  unless  perhaps  comets  scat- 
tered around  its  border.  Far  beyond  the  limits 
of  the  American  continent  we  should  find  the  near- 
est star,  which,  like  our  sun,  might  be  represented 
by  a  large  apple.  At  still  greater  distances,  in 
every  direction,  would  be  other  stars,  but,  in  the 
general  average,  they  would  be  separated  from 
each  other  as  widely  as  the  nearest  star  is  from 
the  sun.  A  region  of  the  little  model  as  large  as 
the  whole  earth  might  contain  only  two  or  three 
stars. 

"We  see  from  this  how,  in  a  flight  through  the 
universe,  like  the  one  we  have  imagined,  we  might 
overlook  such  an  insignificant  little  body  as  our 
earth  even  if  we  made  a  careful  search  for  it.  We 
should  be  like  a  person  flying  through  the  Mis- 
sissippi Valley,   looking  for  a   grain   of  mustard 


S28         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE;. 

seed  which  he  knew  was  hidden  somewhere  on 
the  American  continent.  Even  the  bright  shining 
apple  representing  the  sun  might  be  overlooked 
unless  we  happened  to  pass  quite  near  it." 

And  we  must  not  forget  that  among  the  shining 
spheres,  are  multitudes  of  others  now  opaque  and 
dark,  because  their  fires  are  quenched. 

Of  many  of  those  worlds  the  remoteness  from 
us  is  so  inconceivable,  it  was  necessary  to  invent 
a  new  unit  of  measurement  to  describe  it.  Light 
fhes  with  such  velocity  that,  in  a  single  second,  it 
would  go  more  than  seven  times  around  our  globe. 
And  the  distance  that  light  would  traverse  in  an 
entire  year,  is  now  employed  as  the  unit  of  dis- 
tance for  expressing  interstellar  space.  This  unit 
is  sometimes  called  a  "light-year." 

The  nearest  fixed  star  is  Alpha  Centauri — 
275,000  times  as  far  distant  as  the  sun.  Light 
from  that  star  takes  four  years  to  reach  us.  Many 
of  the  fainter  stars  are  more  than  a  thousand  times 
as  distant  as  Alpha  Centauri.  The  light  by  which 
their  presence  is  now  revealed  to  us  has  required 
nearly  the  whole  period  of  human  history  to  make 
its  journey.  Vega's  beams  require  twenty  years 
to  find  the  earth.  "But  that  star  would  be  visible 
1,000  times  as  far  away.  It  is  not  then  an  un- 
reasonable assumption  that  the  light  which 
reaches  us  from  the  extreme  limits  of  the  visible 
universe,  has  been  winging  its  silent  flight  for 
twice  ten  thousand  years."* 

•    "Our   Celestial    Home."      P.    37.     J.    G.    Porter,    A.    M. 


DEDtJCTIONS  FROM  FOREGOING  FACTS.       329 

Then  those  other  worlds  so  remote  that,  by 
merely  looking  through  a  telescope,  we  never  can 
discern  them.  For  only  after  the  faint  ray  through 
the  instrument  has  long  fallen  upon  a  photo- 
graphic plate  does  it  produce  that  tiny  point 
which  indicates  the  existence  of  a  star.  At  the 
Louisiana  Purchase  Exposition,  in  the  Harvard 
College  Astronomical  Exhibit,  was  a  photograph 
of  a  portion  of  the  empyrean.  The  area  of  the 
firmament  covered  by  the  picture  was  about  seven 
degrees  by  six.  The  plate  itself  was  about  seven- 
teen inches  by  fifteen.  But  it  was  estimated  that 
this  represented  about  400,000  stars.  And  the 
great  mass  of  those  orbs  which  stud  the  heavens 
at  night,  are  suns.  Thus  scattered  through  the 
ether  sea,  fathomless,  shoreless,  are  the  millions, 
millions,  hundreds  of  millions  of  celestial  worlds. 

Our  sun  is  only  a  typical  star.  Many  other 
stars  are  far  larger  than  our  sun.  And  many  in 
resplendence  far  exceed  our  King  of  Day. 

Says  the  authority  whom  we  last  quoted :  "Mere 
size"  is  not  "the  only  element  of  grandeur  which 
we  may  attribute  to  the  system  attendant  upon 
Sirius.  The  light  with  which  he  floods  his  circling 
planets  is  fifty  times  as  brilliant  as  that  which 
our  own  sun  emits."  (a)  "Many  stars  are  thou- 
sands of  times  as  bright  as  the  sun."  (b)  Of  Cano- 
pus,  which  to  our  eyes  does  not  appear  so  brilliant 
as  Sirius,  Professor  Newcomb  says,  "In  all  Hkeli- 

(a)  "Our   Celestial   Home."     p.    56. 

(b)  "The   Americana."     Vol.   XIV.     Article,    Stars. 


330         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

hood,  it  is  more  than  10,000  times  as  bright  as  the 
sun.  A  planet  as  near  to  it  as  we  are  to  the  sun 
would  become  red  hot  under  its  radiation."  (c) 
So,  when  we  consider  the  atmospheres  about 
those  great  orbs,  the  brightest  days  we  ever  be- 
hold must  be  surpassed  by  their  days  as  much  as 
midnight  is  eclipsed  by  noon.  And  this  may  sug- 
gest the  ineffable  splendour  that  reigns  forever 
through  some  of  those  far-distant  constellations. 

But  now  comes  in  another  element — the  differ- 
ent colours  of  the  light  from  these  worlds  and 
galaxies  so  far  away. 

We  naturally  assume  that  all  cosmic  light  is  the 
same  as  that  about  ourselves.  But  throughout  the 
universe  shine  orbs  and  systems  whose  light  is  of 
innumerable  hues.  The  white  stars  and  suns  are 
many.  Some  white  tinged  with  yellow.  Of  some 
the  white  Hght  has  a  bluish  gleam,  like  that  of 
polished  steel.  There  are  stars  in  shades  of  pure 
yellow,  like  Pollux  and  Capella.  Others  in  various 
greens.  Others  in  blues,  like  Sirius  and  Vega. 
Others  in  reds,  like  Arcturus  and  Antares.  There 
are  many  shades  of  red,  described  by  the  observers 
as  reddish,  brick-red,  deep-red,  orange,  garnet, 
carmine.  Others  are  "brown-red"  and  "copper- 
red."  Another,  "maroon-red,  the  most  intense 
blood-red."  This  last  the  language  of  Sir  John 
Herschel.  Another  is  "intensely  scarlet."  Others 
are  ruby  and  crimson.     One  is  Uke  a  "drop  of 

(c)     "The   stars."     p.  192. 


DEDUCTIONS  FROM  FOREGOING  FACTS.       331 

blood  on  a  black  field."  Then,  out  of  the  dark- 
ness of  space,  another  glows  like  a  living  coal. 

About  these  exquisite  colours  of  the  stellar 
light,  one  astronomer  writes  thus:  "Nature  is  in- 
exhaustible in  her  display  among  them  of  har- 
monies, contrasts,  and  delicate  gradations  of  hue. 
They  not  only  vividly  sparkle  in  green  and  gold, 
azure  and  crimson,  but  shine  in  sober  radiance  of 
fawn  and  olive,  lilac,  deep  purple,  and  ashen  gray. 
Chalcedony,  aquamarine,  chrysohte,  agate,  and 
onyx  have  counterparts  in  the  heavens  as  well  as 
rubies  and  emeralds,  sards,  sapphires,  and  topazes. 
These  beautiful  tints  do  not  occur  at  random.  We 
can  partially  discern  some  'law  of  order'  govern- 
ing their  development;  but  empirically  as  yet,  and 
without  any  true  insight  into  its  cause."  (a) 

Sometimes  there  are  double  stars — which  may 
be  two  suns  in  a  single  system.  These  coupled 
worlds  appear  by  thousands.  When  known  to  be 
in  orbital  movement  around  each  other,  or  around 
a  common  centre,  they  are  called  "binary  stars." 
The  couples  may  be  both  alike  in  hue.  And 
sometimes  both  are  white.  But  the  Herschels  dis- 
covered a  great  number  that  are  exquisitely  tinted. 
Sometimes  both  are  blue.  Sometimes  both  are 
reddish-yellow.  Sometimes  the  two  companion 
worlds  are  dissimilar  in  colour.  Here  are  two 
which  show  like  burnished  discs  of  copper  and 
silver    respectively,     under    strong    illumination. 

(a)      "The   System   of  Stars."      p.   155.      A.   M.   Gierke. 


S32         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

There  are  bright  white  spheres  with  smaller  blue 
ones  sweeping  onward  by  their  sides — white  with 
indigo  attendants,  white  with  amethystine  mates, 
white  worlds  with  lilac  wedded. 

There  are  many  beautifully  coloured  stars  in 
mutual  revolution.  Yonder  a  pair  in  green — one 
sea-green,  the  other  emerald.  In  the  next — one 
orange,  the  other  lilac.  Now  two — one  prim- 
rose, the  other  cowslip.  Here  one  chrome-yel- 
low, and  its  mate  sea-water  blue.  There  twin 
worlds — one  orange  and  one  purple.  Another 
couplet — yellow  and  rose.  Another — gold  and 
azure.  Next  two — pale  yellow  and  fawn.  Next 
— apple-green  and  cherry-red.  Here  two  orbs — 
one  yellow  topaz,  other  aquacoelestis  blue.  Then 
a  pair — light-rose  and  dusky  red.  Then  twins — 
in  copper  and  blue.  There  two — yellow  and  pale 
emerald.  Now  two — lilac  and  sea-green.  Thus, 
not  only  in  size  and  splendour,  but  in  the  tints  and 
colours  of  their  radiance,  "one  star  differeth  from 
another  star  in  glory."  Sometimes,  with  the  lapse 
of  years,  stars  change  their  colours,  and  run 
through  various  hues. 

Next  consider.  To  beings  in  those  far-off 
realms,  our  sun  would  seem  like  a  tiny  point  of 
fire,  flashing  upon  his  system  his  own  light.  But 
different-coloured  suns  pour  each  through  his 
kingdom  a  light  of  the  same  hue  with  his  own. 
So  now  we  can  interpret  the  fuller  meaning  of  this 
effulgence  from  those  far-off  worlds.     Here  is  a 


DEDUCTIONS  FROM  FOREGOING  FACTS.        333 

lilac  star.  Upon  our  approach,  it  looms  up  as  a 
vast  sun,  which  sends  forth  oceans  of  lilac-coloured 
light.  And  all  the  inferior  globes  about  it,  have 
atmospheres  of  those  delicate  lilac  hues. 

Far  beyond  it  is  a  point  of  emerald.  But  it  is  a 
mighty  central  orb.  And  the  tributary  planets  in 
his  entourage  move  in  an  atmosphere  like  that  of 
the  sovereign  whom  they  obey — an  emerald  ether 
sea.  In  another  far-distant  quarter  of  the  firma- 
ment sparkles  a  speck  of  yellow.  It  is  a  colossal 
monarch — molten  gold.  And  the  galaxy  of  sub- 
ordinate worlds  that  do  him  homage  bask  forever 
in  the  golden  radiance  of  their  Master's  smile. 

There  an  imperial  sun  of  blue.  With  leashes 
of  gravitation  he  holds  in  course  his  clusters  of 
attendant  stars.  And  the  light  whose  living  sap- 
phire tides  sweep  round  them,  is  that  of  the  great 
inexhaustible  central  fountain  from  which  they 
incessant  flow.  Next,  through  the  portals  of  the 
dawn,  resplendent  mounts  a  scarlet  sun.  He  rules 
the  whole  horizon.  The  planets  and  satellites  that 
surround  him  with  their  orbits,  know  only  days  of 
his  own  richly-tinted  light.  And  the  dwellers  on 
them  would  never  have  a  hint  of  any  others,  save 
as  they  beheld  the  flush  of  different  coloured 
worlds  like  twinkling  star-specks  far  remote. 

Now,  in  another  portion  of  the  empyrean, 
through  the  opening  gate-ways  of  the  east,  ma- 
jestic rises  a  stupendous  sphere — arrayed  in  royal 
purple.     Out  across  unthinkable  vistas  of  space, 


334         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

which  his  beams  must  take  centuries  to  traverse, 
he  sends  his  purple-coloured  fire.  He  "is  as  a 
bridegroom  coming  out  of  his  chamber,  and  re- 
joiceth  as  a  strong  man  to  run  a  race.  His  going- 
forth  is  from  the  end  of  the  heaven,  and  his  circuit 
unto  the  ends  of  it;  and  there  is  nothing  hid  from 
the  heat  thereof."  Around  him  wheel  forever  his 
retinues  of  planets,  with  their  attendant  moons. 
They  too  are  robed  in  purple,  and  rejoice  in  his 
regal  presence. 

We  have  given  merely  some  general  concep- 
tions. Now  consider  upon  our  own  little  earth 
the  everlasting  changes,  combinations,  and  won- 
derful efifects  of  colour  over  sea,  and  crag,  and 
cloud,  and  sky;  proceeding  from  generation  to 
generation,  forevermore  evolving  and  forever 
new.  And  remember  there  must  be  correspond- 
ing phenomena  progressing  forever  upon  count- 
less other  spheres  amid  these  ineffable  constella- 
tions. 

Now  before  us  twin  suns — one  orange  and  one 
green,  as  centres  of  one  system  shine.  And,  as 
we  are  enveloped  alternately  in  darkness  and  in 
light,  so  the  clustering  worlds  around  them  are 
bathed  in  an  atmosphere  at  one  time  orange,  at  an- 
other green.  Then,  whichever  way  we  turn,  are 
other  pairs  of  divers-coloured  suns,  which  alter- 
nately shed  each  its  characteristic  light  upon  the 
revolving  orbs  about  them.  We  will  not  speak 
of  the  groups  which  number  more  than  two — 


DEDUCTIONS  FROM  FOREGOING  FACTS.        335 

triple,  quadruple,  even  sextuple  spheres — all 
linked  together;  and  flashing  their  beams  upon 
their  tributary  worlds.  So,  through  heavenfuls  of 
iridescent  stars  and  suns,  single,  double,  or  mul- 
tiple; some  without  companions,  some  with  at- 
tendant trains;  there  go  on  to  everlasting  the  in- 
exhaustible, indescribable,  ever-varying  displays 
of  rainbow-coloured  radiance  which  the  beauty- 
loving  God  hath  wrought  for  the  pleasure  of  Him- 
self and  of  His  offspring. 

But  this  is  our  domain.  Whatever  flowers 
bloom,  birds  sing,  Hving  creatures  move,  forests 
wave,  tides  dash  hither  and  yon;  mountains  climb 
skyward,  clouds  glow  in  beauty,  spirits  flash  with 
intelligence  or  thrill  with  emotion,  on  those  far- 
distant  orbs;  we  are  to  behold  and  to  enjoy  them. 

We  have  sketched  this  sublime  truth  but  in 
skeleton.  Far  as  a  surveyor's  penciled  outline  map 
fails  of  giving  in  detail  the  abundance  and  variety 
of  the  products  of  a  continent,  so  far  does  our 
presentation  fall  short  of  this  great  reality.  We 
cannot  define  or  suggest  the  wealth  and  infinity  of 
the  riches  that  are  hidden  in  it.  What  we  have 
written  is  no  more  comprehensive  of  this  subject, 
than  a  babe's  first  glance  at  the  starry  heavens  is 
exhaustive  of  what  is  to  be  learned  there. 

When  a  new  orb  is  discovered,  it  means  but  a 
new  province  of  our  empire,  which  sweeps  north, 
south,  east,  west,  beneath,  and  above.  It  is  not 
within  the  present  power  of  human  thought  to 


336         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

traverse  the  expanse  opening  before  us  in  every 
direction  th  roughout  that  empire — our  infinite 
Fatherland — the  unending  abode  of  God  and  of 
His  loved  ones. 

Here  sweeps  away  a  boundless  field.  No  dream 
of  classical  or  oriental  religion  compares  with  this 
stupendous  Scriptural  truth.  The  future  changes 
in  the  universe,  which  are  predicted  by  the  Bible, 
suggest  the  infinite  potentialities  of  a  new  crea- 
tion, and  still  further  displays  of  the  divine  re- 
sources in  material  things.  All  efiforts  of  imagina- 
tion seem  as  nothing  beside  these  possibilities  in- 
effable. The  patient  scholar  may  develop  such  a 
subject  as  "Our  Country,"  but  never  "our  cos- 
mos." It  is  beyond  the  most  exalted  flights  of 
the  human  intellect  to  anticipate,  even  with  ap- 
proximate exhaustiveness,  what  God  is  to  reveal 
to  us  in  the  universe  of  the  future. 

If  He  can  weave  such  plots  and  counterplots 
upon  a  little  globe  like  this,  within  the  few  years  of 
a  single  life-time;  what  dramatic  developments  may 
come,  under  His  inexhaustible  providence,  when 
the  stage  is  the  universe,  and  the  glorious  ro- 
mance goes  on  forever;  as  confessedly  the  most 
finished  product  of  divine  wisdom  and  imagina- 
tion !  Prospects  of  unutterable  sublimity !  Immeas- 
urable in  their  fullness,  suggestiveness,  unending 
variety  of  unfolding  and  application !  They  are  to 
be  studied  with  delight  throughout  eternity. 

The  truths  which  the  Bible  develops  upon  these 


DEDUCTIONS  FROM  FOREGOING  FACTS.        337 

subjects  are  so  colossal  that  to  present  the  con- 
clusions from  them  is  beyond  human  power.  And 
the  effort  forever  must  seem  weak.  Yet,  under 
this  head  of  deductions,  a  few  points  should  be 
noted. 
For 

II.  All  divine  truth  must  be  self-consistent.  And 
the  mighty  principles  we  have  been  discussing 
must  accord  with  all  other  great  doctrines  of  the 
Bible. 

We  do  not  seek  to  present  a  comprehensive  and 
symmetrical  survey  of  all  that  enters  into  the 
future  life.  We  do  not  specially  try  to  develop 
the  spiritual  features  of  that  coming  life.  We  ac- 
cept and  assume  what  the  Evangelical  Church 
believes  about  these  matters.  We  have  aimed 
thus  far  to  investigate,  in  addition  thereto,  the 
physical  and  material  powers,  privileges  and  pros- 
pects which  the  Bible  and  science  reveal  as  con- 
nected with  the  spiritual. 

These  physical  and  material  features  are  not  an- 
tagonistic to  the  spiritual,  but  accordant  with 
them;  not  independent  of  them,  but  integral  with 
them:  as  vitally  important  elements  of  the  Chris- 
tian's future  destiny.  And  with  what  other  fun- 
damental Bible  truth  does  not  the  doctrine  of  the 
comprehensiveness  of  our  future  heritage  har- 
monize? 


338         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

We  note  some  of  these  more  spiritual  principles 
as  we  proceed. 

The  doctrine  of  the  universality  of  man's  future 
inheritance  magnifies  the  greatness  of  the  divine  love 
and  purposes  for  lis. 

It  enlarges  our  ideas  of  the  Father's  heart. 
From  eternity  how  vast  His  plans  for  us !  In  the 
beginning  He  created  man  for  such  a  future.  How 
much  more  overwhelming  seem  His  purposes  for 
our  redemption,  now  we  are  so  fallen!  Yet  the 
second  time,  He  offers  us  that  future.  What  in- 
effable significance  this  conception  gives  to  the 
love  of  God ! 

The  Son,  from  the  first,  desired  to  bring  us  to 
such  enjoyments.  Then,  for  creatures  so  unwor- 
thy, He  was  willing  to  be  sacrificed  and  slain;  that 
with  us  He  yet  might  share  His  so  great  a  king- 
dom.    How  it  exalts  the  grace  of  Christ ! 

The  Holy  Spirit  from  everlasting  planned  for 
this.  And  he  still  longs  to  regenerate,  reform  and 
refine  us  for  such  a  destiny,  and  interpret  it  to  us 
forever.     How  wonderful  His  compassion ! 

What  more  could  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit  do? 

A  man  looks  into  his  own  sinful  soul,  and  upon 
his  sinful  life.  And  he  cannot  believe  the  Divine 
Being  is  ready  to  love  such  a  creature  as  himself. 
Nor  is  there  in  him  anything  that  is  morally 
worthy  of  such  love.  That  infinite  affection 
springs,  not  from  anything  in  us,  but  from  the 


DEDUCTIONS  FROM  FOREGOING  FACTS.        339 

nature  of  God  Himself.  It  is  not  that  we  are 
worthy  to  be  loved,  but  He  is  willing  to  love  us. 
Not  that  we  are  meritorious,  but  He  is  merciful. 
Not  that  we  deserve  it,  but  He  delights  to  do  it. 
Not  that  we  are  lovable,  but  always  that  He  is 
loving. 

As  from  their  very  constitution  those  vast  lumi- 
naries upon  which  we  have  been  gazing,  send  forth 
their  light  and  warmth;  so  these  fall  upon  every 
one  who  may  come  within  their  range,  not  from 
anything  in  him,  but  because  it  is  the  nature  of 
such  suns  to  pour  out  such  glowing  heat  and  in- 
numerable hues  of  splendour,  iridescent — beauti- 
ful :  so  it  is  the  nature  of  the  Three  Great  Persons 
in  the  God-head  to  send  out  their  love,  with  all  its 
innumerable  and  ineffable  benedictions.  It  seeks 
us,  calls  us,  yearns  over  us,  woos  us,  would  win 
us,  and  bless  us  forever;  unless  we  repel  it,  and  for- 
ever force  it  back.  It  longs  to  give  unto  us,  in 
addition  to  all  the  spiritual  blessings,  too  many 
to  be  mentioned  here,  enjoyment  of  the  universe 
throughout  eternity.  How  great  the  sin  of  him 
who  shall  wilfully  refuse  such  salvation,  offered  in 
such  a  way ! 

In  the  Bible,  the  doctrine  which  is  the  darkest, 
the  most  appalling  ever  contemplated  by  the  hu- 
man mind,  is  that  of  everlasting  punishment. 

Some  have  rebelled,  because  for  the  Devil  and 


240         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

his  angels  there  is  no  possibiHty  of  repentance  in 
this  world  or  the  other,  and  because  for  adults 
dying  out  of  Christ,  there  is  no  hope. 

From  the  standpoint  of  our  petty  human  wis- 
dom, we  would  be  glad  if  the  Bible  taught  the 
doctrine  of  the  annihilation  of  the  wicked;  or  con- 
ditional immortality,  namely,  that  only  those  who 
are  redeemed  by  Christ  shall  inherit  eternal  life; 
and  all  others  shall  cease  to  be.  But  the  Scrip- 
tures contain  no  such  doctrine.  They  teach  eter- 
nal punishment.  And,  from  this  fearful  fact,  there 
is  no  escape. 

What  theologian  has  not  gone  through  the  Holy 
Oracles,  secretly  hoping  to  find  some  method  of 
sound  interpretation  by  which  he  might  avoid  be- 
lief in  the  everlasting  misery  of  the  lost;  might 
root  out  of  the  Bible  the  doctrine  of  unending 
punishment?  But  all  such  efforts  fail.  If  we  re- 
move from  the  Bible  the  doctrine  of  everlasting 
wrath,  we  are  by  inexorable  logic  bound  to  give 
up  also  the  doctrine  of  the  unending  blessedness 
of  the  redeemed,  and  the  eternal  duration  of  the 
Godhead.  For  all  rest  on  one  and  the  same  basis. 
We  are  inevitably  driven  back  to  the  position  of 
the  great  Andover  exegete  a  generation  ago.  "If 
the  Scriptures  have  not  asserted  the  endless  pun- 
ishment of  the  wicked,  neither  have  they  asserted 
the  endless  happiness  of  the  righteous,  nor  the 
endless  glory  and  existence  of  the  Godhead.    The 


DEDUCTIONS  FROM  FOREGOING  FACTS.        341 

one  is  equally  certain  with  the  other."*  There  are 
but  two  alternatives,  namely,  to  sink  under  the 
power  of  the  endless  death,  or  rise  in  the  power 
of  the  endless  life. 

As,  in  imagination,  we  stand  by  the  abode  of 
the  lost,  and  try,  however  faintly,  to  picture  their 
everlasting  fate,  the  theme  fills  us  with  unutterable 
horror.  It  is  the  most  awful  prospect  that  ever 
crushed  and  overwhelmed  the  human  mind. 

But,  in  this  doctrine  of  the  universality  of  the 
heritage  of  the  sons  of  God,  we  have  found  a  prin- 
ciple which  throws  light  upon  the  terrible,  yet 
Biblical  doctrine  of  eternal  death.  It  brings  this 
fearful  feature  of  the  divine  administration  into 
luminous  accord  with  the  unalterable,  ineffable 
wisdom  and  justice  of  God,  and  makes  it  more 
harmonious  with  our  own  ideas  of  justice. 

Satan  and  his  angels,  knowing  that  they  had 
before  them  such  prospects  as  we  have  described 
— of  enjoying  all  the  universe  forever,  deliberately 
cast  those  privileges  away.  They  would  have 
overthrown  God  Himself.  They  forever  contend 
against  Him  and  His  angels.  Since  Adam  walked 
in  Eden,  they  have  done  everything  in  their  power 
to  deprive  every  human  being  of  these  ineffable 
prospects  and  possessions,  and  to  bring  upon  him 
everlasting  ruin.  Upon  every  holy  angel  they 
would  bring  ruin.  Would  dethrone,  destroy  the 
Deity.     Theirs  is  the  highest  conceivable  type  of 

*  Mosea  Stuart,   "Future  Punishment,"  page  82. 


342         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

sin.  It  fittingly  receives  such  punishment.  There 
IS  no  occasion  for  sentimeritaHty  over  Satan  and 
the  fallen  angels. 

But  when  man,  not  realizing  the  greatness  of 
the  divine  love  and  plans  for  him,  sinned  against 
God,  and  fell,  God  made  provision  to  offer  him 
salvation,  and  give  him  another  chance.  It  may 
be  said,  "Yes.  But  some  men  are  never  told  of  re- 
demption. It  is  never  possible  for  them  to  learn 
about  it."  Very  good.  We  have  seen  the  Bible 
indicates  they  are  to  be  judged  by  what  light  they 
had. 

But,  if  sinful  man,  having  before  him  such  privi- 
leges and  possibilities,  all  as  the  free  gift  of  God, 
is  willing  deliberately  to  reject  them,  and  re-- 
pudiate  the  love  that  offers  them,  it  seems  more 
consonant  even  with  our  narrow  human  judgment, 
that  he  should  meet  the  fate  which  divine  judg- 
ment has  appointed.  Our  growing  knowledge  of 
God's  purposes  makes  His  most  terrible  retribu- 
tions seem  more  accordant  even  with  our  own 
sense  of  justice. 

This  doctrine  of  the  coming  increase  of  man's 
faculties  and  of  his  future  range  throughout  the 
universe,  further  explains  why  God  has  set  such 
value  on  a  human  soul. 

Because  that  soul,  made  in  God's  own  image, 
has  such  latent  power,  such  infinite  possibilities, 
and  such    eternal   prospects.      Because   His   child 


DEDUCTIONS  FROM  FOREGOING  FACTS.        343 

may  be  so  glorious,  that  child  is  unspeakably 
precious  to  Him. 

Paul  says  (Heb.  2;  7),  "Thou  madest  him"  (man) 
"a  little  lower  than  the  angels."  Or,  according  to 
an  alternative  reading,  "Thou  madest  him  a  little 
while  lower  than  the  angels."  But,  by  and  by,  the 
angels  shall  stand  below  man.  "Know  ye  not  that 
we  shall  judge  angels?"  (I.  Cor.  6;  3).  "Unto  the 
angels  hath  he  not  put  In  subjection  the  world  to 
come,  whereof  we  speak."     (Heb.  2;  6). 

The  future  powers  of  the  saints  shall  be  like 
those  of  Jesus,  and  shall  in  splendour  surpass 
those  of  any  other  finite  beings  in  the  universe. 
Consistently,  therefore,  does  God  set  such  high 
value  on  human  souls.  He  calls  those  who  fear 
Him  "a  peculiar  treasure."  (Ex.  19;  5).  "They 
shall  be  mine,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  in  that  day 
when  I  make  up  my  jewels."     (Mai.  3;  17). 

Consider  how  the  preceding  truths  bear  upon 
the  doctrine  of  election. 

We  hold  that  sound  interpretation  of  the  Bible 
must  result  in  acceptance  of  this  doctrine.  And, 
in  some  form,  it  is  virtually  accepted  throughout 
the  Evangelical  Church.  For  that  Church  be- 
lieves that  all  who  die  in  infancy  are  saved.  But, 
since  these  cannot  voluntarily  accept  Christ,  there 
must  be  an  electing  decree  that  the  blood  of 
Christ  shall  save  them.    More  than  one-half  of  the 


S44         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

human  race  are  redeemed  under  this  one  clause 
of  those  who  depart  in  infancy. 

But  there  is  an  election  among  adults  also.  For 
instance,  take  the  man  Jesus.  We  must  hold,  with 
Calvin,  that  Jesus  was  an  elect  soul.  About  the 
certainty  of  His  salvation,  there  never  was  any 
question.  Before  His  birth,  it  was  divinely  de- 
creed that  He  would  be  saved.  From  the  begin- 
ning, He  was  foreordained  to  everlasting  life. 

Remember  God's  words  to  Jeremiah  (Chap,  i; 
5),  "Before  I  formed  thee  in  the  belly,  I  knew 
thee;  and  before  thou  camest  forth  out  of  the 
womb,  I  sanctified  thee,  and  I  ordained  thee  a 
prophet  unto  the  nations."  Gabriel  said  John 
should  "be  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  even  from 
his  mother's  womb."  (Luke  i;  15).  Note  the  lan- 
guage of  Paul,  who  says,  God  "separated  me  from 
my  mother's  womb,  and  called  me  by  his  grace." 
(Gal.  i;  15).  Such  expressions  imply  that  these 
inspired  teachers  were  predestined  to  salvation  be- 
fore ever  they  were  born.  But  other  men,  in 
every  generation,  are  foreordained  and  called  in 
exactly  the  same  way,  to  be  religious  teachers,  or 
play  other  parts  in  the  Christian  church.  And 
multitudes  of  others  are  foreordained  to  salvation 
through  their  ministry.  This,  however,  is  not  the 
place  for  attempting  to  develop  or  even  outline 
the  evidences  of  this  doctrine.  So  we  simply  re- 
fer to  it,  and  assume  it. 

Probably  the  principal  objection  to  it  has  been 


DEDUCTIONS  FROM  FOREGOING  FACTS.       345 

caused  by  a  supposed  deduction  from  it,  or  ac- 
cepted accompaniment  of  it,  which  in  reahty  was 
entirely  unscriptural.  Since  there  was  a  decree 
by  which  a  great  multitude  of  the  elect  were  pre- 
destined to  be  saved  at  death  in  infancy,  or  to  re- 
pent, believe,  obey,  and  thus  be  saved  later,  some 
have  argued  that  of  course  all  of  the  non-elect 
were  predestined  to  be  lost.  But  this  is  not  the 
teaching  of  inspiration.  The  decree  of  election  is 
inclusive.  It  determines  that  all  the  elect  shall 
certainly  be  saved.  But  it  is  not  exclusive.  It 
does  not  determine  that  all  the  non-elect,  or  any 
of  them,  shall  certainly  be  lost.  The  assured  oper- 
ation of  grace  in  the  case  of  the  elect,  does  not  for 
an  instant  imply  that  from  a  single  person  among 
the  non-elect  there  will  be  such  withholding  of 
grace  that  he  cannot  be  saved. 

The  merit  of  Christ's  active  and  passive  obedi- 
ence, and  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  are  suffi- 
cient to  save  the  entire  human  family;  and  are  as 
free  to  the  non-elect  as  to  the  elect.  Every  human 
soul  who  desires  it,  may  enjoy  the  benefits  of  that 
redemption  and  that  grace.  Every  human  soul 
who  hears  the  gospel  call  is  invited  and  com- 
manded to  accept  it.  For  the  Spirit  draws  eter- 
nally, until  grieved  at  last,  he  departs  forever.  The 
elect  soul  certainly  will  come.  The  non-elect  may 
come,  if  he  will.  If  he  does  not  respond,  and  ac- 
cept,  the   responsibility  rests   entirely  with  him. 


346        THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

The  invitation  and  the  command  are  addressed  to 
all  alike. 

Though,  according  to  Professor  Young,  the 
number  of  stars  that  can  be  seen  through  the 
great  Lick  telescope  upon  Mt.  Hamilton  is  per- 
haps 100,000,000,  and  though,  according  to  Pro- 
fessor Newcomb,  the  number  of  stars  that  cannot 
be  seen,  even  through  the  telescope,  but  whose  ex- 
istence can  be  proved  by  the  photographic  plate, 
may  increase  the  above  number  to  200,000,000, 
yet  as  we  have  already  shown,  the  number  of  the 
saved  from  this  present  generation  alone,  must  be 
about  1,750,000,000.     (See  Chap.  XII.) 

Now,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  such  a  salvation 
has  been  prepared  for  the  believer,  and  such  an 
infinite,  inexhaustible  heritage  awaits  him,  why 
should  not  God  take  the  attitude  implied  in  the 
parable  of  him  who  made  a  great  supper,  so  that 
all  things  were  now  ready;  then  said  unto  his  ser- 
vants, "Go  out  into  the  highways  and  hedges,  and 
compel  them  to  come  in,  that  my  house  may  be 
filled?"     (Luke  14;  23). 

Would  it  have  been  reasonable  in  the  Father  so 
to  ordain  that,  to  the  enjoyment  of  His  royal  man- 
sions, perhaps  not  a  single  human  soul  would  ever 
come?  But  it  was  not  His  will  that  the  kingdom 
should  be  prepared  in  vain;  that  the  Son  should 
have  no  marriage  supper,  because  there  was  no 
Church  to  be  His  bride.  Our  Redeemer  was  to 
see  of  the  travail  of  His  soul  and  be  satisfied. 


DEDUCTIONS  FROM  FOREGOING  FACTS.        347 

So,  in  view  of  the  profound  teaching  that  the 
coming  kingdom  is  to  be  all-comprehensive,  how 
reasonable  and  glorious  a  thing  is  this  doctrine  of 
election — the  divine  purpose  that  an  innumerable 
multitude  shall  certainly  accept  this  free  salvation, 
and  enjoy  with  it  such  an  ineffably  blessed  herit- 
age! 

And,  in  man  himself,  this  doctrine  that  he  may 
receive  that  inheritance  deepens  and  broadens  the 
religions  life  in  all  its  activities,  experiences,  relations 
and  hopes.  For  in  the  light  of  this  principle,  what 
fundamental  truth  is  not  confirmed,  what  Chris- 
tian duty  is  not  magnified  and  made  more  im- 
portant ? 

1.  It  gives  increased  incentives  to  repentance. 
There  are  before  us  two  alternatives;  an  everlast- 
ing prison  house  of  wrath,  and  an  everlasting  uni- 
verse of  holiness,  knowledge,  power,  freedom,  and 
delight.  What  shall  it  profit  a  man,  though  he 
gain  a  few  forbidden  pleasures  for  a  time,  but  for- 
feit the  enjoyment  of  a  universe  forever,  and  lose 
his  own  soul? 

2.  The  sinner  may  ask  for  his  sins  full  pardon, 
and  this  pardon  shall  be  freely  granted.  Then  he 
may  ask  for  eternal  life  such  as  we  have  outlined. 
And  that  life  shall  be  freely  given. 

Under  such  circumstances,  with  such  interests 
at  stake,  who  would  not  accept  the  free  salvation? 
Who  would  not  utter  from  his  heart  the  words 


348         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

of  personal  and  appropriating  faith — "I  believe 
that  God,  for  Christ's  sake,  will  forgive  all  my 
sins,  and  will  save  me  forever?" 

3.  The  necessity  of  the  new  birth  and  the  new 
life  in  the  Holy  Spirit,  becomes  even  more  ap- 
parent. 

The  soul  was  made  of  a  nature  most  compli- 
cated, most  wonderful,  having  within  it  germs  of 
such  amazing  powers  and  being  designed  by  God 
for  such  ineffable  possibilities.  But  sin  is  so 
deadly  it  poisoned  the  entire  constitution.  The 
results  are  disastrous,  appalling,  and  hopeless;  be- 
yond relief  through  any  human  power.  They  ab- 
solutely necessitate  a  regenerating  act  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  a  new  creation,  a  second  birth,  which  must 
be  sought  from  God. 

Though,  if  we  had  not  sinned,  we  should  have 
been  ushered  into  that  future  heritage  without 
painful  discipline;  now  we  must  accept  this  regi- 
men through  which  we  are  restored.  But  every 
stroke,  every  sorrow,  is  to  prepare  us  for  this 
great  inheritance  of  joy.  It  shall  reach  its  fruit  in 
that.  Therefore  we  need  the  Holy  Spirit  continu- 
ally to  give  light,  strength,  and  cheer  along  earth's 
pilgrim  way;  even  as  we  are  to  have  Him  for  our 
divine  guide  and  teacher  through  eternity.  For, 
when  a  sinner  is  born  of  the  Spirit,  he  is  born 
heir  to  the  boundless  empire  of  that  Spirit. 

4.  What  more  could  we  ask  in  thaj:  coming 
life  than  God  already  has  prepared?    We  cannot 


DEDUCTIONS  FROM  FOREGOING  FACTS.       349 

actually  possess  the  divine  nature.  That  is  im- 
possible. But,  aside  from  that,  what  more  could 
we  conceive  as  desirable  in  that  future  state;  and 
what  more  could  the  Father  promise  than  has  al- 
ready been  assured?  More  stupendous  concep- 
tions than  open  to  us,  upon  acceptance  of  this 
great  Biblical  doctrine,  it  would  be  difficult  for 
the  mind  to  imagine.  They  give  to  eternal  life  the 
highest  significance  that  even  the  Deity  could 
bestow. 

5.  This  doctrine,  with  the  corresponding  spirit- 
ual truths,  affords  the  highest  encouragem.ent  and 
strength  to  spiritual  efifort.  What  incentive  to 
duty  is  not  increased?  What  virtue  does  not 
seem  more  desirable? 

How  great  and  obvious  the  necessity  of  being 
much  in  prayer  for  the  Spirit,  who  will  guide  us 
"into  all  truth,"  and  "teach  us  all  things?"  We 
are  to  seek  such  communion  with  him  forever. 

How  this  doctrine  impels  us  to  cultivate  spiritual 
likeness  to  Christ,  in  all  life's  varied  and  changing 
relations !  How  it  promotes  sanctification  of  soul 
and  body;  consecration  of  substance  also — pay- 
ment of  tithes,  presentation  of  thank-ofiferings ! 
For,  without  consecration  of  all  that  we  possess 
here,  we  cannot  enjoy  either  spiritual  or  material 
blessings  there. 

What  inspiration  to  render  ideal  obedience  to 
the  Father,  "who  is  able  to  supply  all  your  need 
according  to  his  riches  in  glory  by  Christ  Jesus." 


350         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

(Phil.    4;    19);   and    from   whom,   as   its    uUimate 
source,  comes  our  title  to  all  things! 

6.  Thus  life  becomes  treiucjidoiisly  optimistic.  This 
doctrine  leaves  no  room  for  pessimism. 

It  teaches  restfulness  for  each  individual  soul. 
How  it  should  sustain  a  man  under  present  vicissi- 
tudes, especially  those  that  come  from  limitation 
in  worldly  goods !  We  may  be  "as  having  nothing, 
and  yet  possessing  oil  things."  (II.  Cor.  6; 
10).  For  we  are  heirs  to  all  things.  Mean- 
time, if  loyally  we  do  our  duty,  we  shall  be  sup- 
plied with  all  God  deems  essential  to  our  best  in- 
terests. And  the  reserve'  resources  are  infinite. 
(Psalm  23;  i).  "I  shall  not  want;"  any  more  than 
a  man  can  lack  for  fuel,  with  the  forests  of  a  con- 
tinent at  his  back;  for  water,  when  inland  seas  are 
dashing  at  his  feet;  for  raiment  and  for  food,  when 
the  fleece  of  a  thousand  flocks  is  his,  with  the 
herds  on  a  thousand  hills. 

Indulge  not  in  anxious  care.  "Be  careful  for 
nothing;  but  in  everything  by  prayer  and  suppli- 
cation with  thanksgiving  let  your  requests  be  made 
known  unto  God,  and  the  peace  of  God,  which 
passeth  all  understanding,  shall  keep  your  hearts 
and  minds  through  Christ  Jesus."  (Phil.  ;  6-7). 
Even  now,  we  may  enjoy  the  peace  of  God.  By 
and  by  we  are  to  enjoy  also  His  possessions.  The 
universe  ours,  and  ours  for  eternity. 

To  those  troubled  about  hard  questions,  comes 


DEDUCTIONS  FROM  FOREGOING  FACTS.        351 

a  thought  of  ample  revelations  by  and  by.  "When 
life's  dread  enigma  presseth  sore,  his  patient  voice 
saith,  'Watch  with  me  one  hour.'  "  "What  I  do 
thou  knowest  not  now,  but  thou  shalt  know  here- 
after." (John  13;  7).  We  see  only  a  little  of  the 
globe.     He  sees  the  cosmos. 

How  this  doctrine  of  the  universality  of  our 
future  possessions  is  calculated  to  comfort  those 
who  mourn  over  Christian  friends !  If  the  de- 
parted have  entered  upon  the  fruition  of  such  an 
inheritance  as  this,  why  should  we  wish  them  back 
on  earth?  For  ourselves  we  may  mourn.  But  for 
them  we  should  rejoice. 

When  there  come  on  others  or  on  us  provi- 
dences adverse  and  inscrutable,  remember  what 
lies  before  us  of  unspeakable  possibility  and  un- 
thinkable prospects.  Who  can  say  what  may  be 
our  future  relations  to  other  celestial  beings  in 
distant  portions  of  God's  universe?  There  may 
await  us  duties  extraordinary,  requiring  special 
training  and  preparation.  Life's  preliminary  ex- 
periences here,  hard  to  bear  and  understand,  will 
be  interpreted  in  the  Hght  which  by  and  by  shall 
break  upon  us  in  the  services  appointed  there. 

Life's  discipline  may  be  severe.  But  remember 
the  greatness  of  the  ages  which  shall  follow.  How 
immeasurable  they  are!  A  fleeting  hand-breadth 
of  discipline  brings  the  eternal  universe  of  delight. 
Such  overwhelming  outlook  as  this,  is  something 
to  support  a  fainting  heart  under  the  midnight  ex- 


252         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

periences  of  life;  to  suggest  deep  and  inspiring 
faith,  unbounded  courage  and  hopefulness  under 
all  vicissitudes.  Every  cloud  becomes  silvery  on 
the  side  toward  us;  even  as  it  is  already  golden  on 
the  side  toward  God. 

As  we  toil  and  sufTer  in  the  place  appointed  by 
Him,  there  is  for  us  a  mighty  comfort.  This  doc- 
trine gives  to  our  prospects  stability  impregnable. 
We  are  certain  of  our  future  inheritance.  What 
an  encouragement  to  patient  fidelity,  since  for  our 
reward  there  is  a  universe  assured ! 

Beside  every  one  of  us,  there  walks  a  figure 
draped  and  shrouded.  It  is  the  angel  of  grief. 
And  we  must  walk  with  him,  as  long  as  God 
wills.  But,  by  and  by,  he  will  spread  his  wings 
to  take  his  flight.  And,  as  he  is  parting  from 
us,  he  will  draw  aside  the  veil,  and  look  full  into 
our  eyes.  And  it  will  be  a  beautiful  face  that  we 
shall  see,  for  the  angel  of  grief  is  the  angel  of 
God. 

Do  you  say  with  David,  "Oh  that  I  had  wings 
like  a  dove !  For  then  would  I  fly  away,  and  be  at 
rest?"  (Ps.  55;  6).  But  this  doctrine  w^hich  the 
Bible  presents,  gives  to  the  soul  of  the  believer 
more  wings  than  the  cherubim  have.  Soon  your 
heart,  like  David's,  shall  fly  among  the  stars,  to 
reign  with  David's  greater  son. 

In  the  delicious  mildness  of  an  October  night, 
your  steamer  is  gliding  upon  the  Mediterranean. 
You  hang  over  the  stern,  and  watch  the  phos^ 


DEDUCTIONS  FROM  FOREGOING  FACTS.        353 

phorescent  wake  that  shimmers  away  behind.  The 
fleecy  clouds  drift  through  the  sky.  The  moon, 
queen  of  the  night,  floods  the  heavens  with  a  mel- 
low radiance.  Upon  the  distant  horizon,  appear 
two  little  low-lying  islands,  which  in  reality  are 
one.  Some  voice  says,  "There  it  is !  There  it  is ! 
That  is  Patmos !"  There  St.  John  was  imprisoned 
for  righteousness'  sake.  But  his  trial  brief!  His 
reward  the  greatest  possible!  Out  of  his  prison 
house  he  looked  up,  and  heard  God  saying,  "He 
that  overcometh  shall  inherit  all  things."  No 
person  who  has  not  brooded  over  this  colossal 
conception  of  the  universality  of  the  Christian's 
heritage,  can  realize  the  solidity,  stability  and  sub- 
limity that  may  come  into  human  life. 

Many  mysteries,  theological  and  philosophical, 
are  solved  by  accepting  the  one  great  primal  mys- 
tery of  a  Godhead.  So  many  mysteries  of  human 
experience  are  lightened  up  by  this  great  Scrip- 
tural truth  that  we  are  to  inherit  the  boundless 
creation,  and  share  it  with  that  mysterious,  inef- 
fable God. 

7.  Regarding  those  interests  involved  in  man's 
relations  to  the  multitudes,  this  doctrine  teaches  the 
broadest  and  most  encouraging  principles  of  benevo- 
lence. 

It  promotes  brotherly  love.  About  it  there  is 
nothing  of  selfishness.  Though  this  all-compre- 
hending inheritance  is  prepared  for  every  Chris- 


354         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

tian;  though  each  child  of  God  shall  own  it;  all 
the  saints  must  forever  own  that  empire  in  com- 
mon. This  fosters  the  spirit  of  brotherhood  on 
earth. 

It  encourages  our  efforts  against  iniquity.  The" 
power  thereof  shall  be  but  transient.  About  the 
various  types  and  giant  forms  of  evil;  the  foun- 
tains of  strong  drink,  the  house  of  the  harlot,  the 
organized  Sabbath  desecration,  some  men  say, 
"These  things  have  come  to  stay,  and  it  is  idle  to 
fight  against  them."  But  none  of  these  things 
have  come  to  stay.  The  Devil  and  all  his  works 
have  come  to  go.  If  saints  are  to  inherit  the  cos- 
mos, much  more  are  they  to  inherit  the  earth. 
Satan  shall  be  driven  out.  "We  *  *  look  for  new 
heavens  and  a  new  earth,  wherein  dwelleth  right- 
eousness."   (II.  Peter  3;  13). 

This  doctrine  stimulates  missionary  effort. 

Every  soul  that  is  not  rescued  from  heathenism 
must  lose  this  priceless  heritage.  Every  ransomed 
soul  may  have  such  possessions  and  such  pros- 
pects. Therefore  it  becomes  us,  in  our  labours  for 
the  pagan  world,  to  seek  ever  greater  and  still 
greater  harvests;  like  the  burning  missionary  soul 
of  St.  Francis  Xavier,  whose  prayer  forever  was, 
"More!  Morel"  Such  prayers  God  loves.  And 
such  praying  will  prevail. 

Thus,  through  work  in  Christendom,  and  work 
in   heathendom,   there   shall   at   last   come   peace 


DEDUCTIONS  FROM  FOREGOING  FACTS.        355 

among  the  nations.     For  the  spirit  of  the  gospel 
must  forever  spread 

"Till  the  war-drums  throb  no  longer, 
And  the  battle  flags  are  furled, 

In  the  parliament  of  nations, 
The  federation  of  the  world." 

"For  the  earth  shall  be  filled  with  the  knowledge 
of  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  as  the  waters  cover  the 
sea."    (Hab.  2;  14). 

As  believers  more  and  more  search  the  depths, 
heights,  and  ranges  of  this  doctrine  so  variously 
and  profoundly  taught  throughout  God's  Word, 
this  great,  comprehensive  and  crowning  truth 
about  man's  future  must  more  and  more  influence 
the  faith  of  the  Christian  Church. 

To  every  portion  of  the  Apostles'  Creed,  it 
gives  a  larger  meaning.  Is  the  Father  "maker 
of  heaven  and  earth?"  But  His  children  are  to 
enjoy  all  with  Him.  Does  Christ  "sit  at  the  right 
hand  of  God?"  But,  with  Him,  we  are  to  inherit 
the  cosmos,  and  reign  over  it.  Do  we  "believe 
in  the  Holy  Ghost?"  But  He  is  to  explain  to  us 
the  works  of  God  throughout  all  His  kingdoms. 
Do  we  "believe  in  the  Holy  Catholic  Church,  the 
forgiveness  of  sins,  the  resurrection  of  the  body, 
and  the  life  everlasting?"  But  the  members  of 
that  Holy  Catholic  Church  shall  be  cosmopolitan 


356         THE  UNIVERSE  OUR  FUTURE  EMPIRE. 

citizens,  all  having  rights  in  all  God's  empire. 
When  "as  far  as  the  east  is  from  the  west,  he 
hath  removed  our  transgressions  from  us"  (Ps. 
103;  12);  then  "far  as  the  east  is  from  the  west," 
we  may  range  at  will.  For  the  "communion  of 
saints"  the  heaven  of  heavens  shall  be  a  meeting 
place.  The  life  everlasting  shall  for  the  scene  of 
its  action,  for  its  university,  for  its  eternal  home, 
have  all  the  illimitable  realms  of  God.  What 
other  truths  ever  opened  such  far-extending 
ranges  of  thought  and  study!  In  earth  and  in 
heaven,  these  themes  shall  echo  in  the  swelling 
anthems  of  the  Church.  They  shall  be  chanted 
in  the  songs  of  the  angels  and  of  the  sons  of  men. 
This  doctrine  of  the  universality  of  the  Chris- 
tian's heritage  was  designed  to  turn  our  thoughts 
more  than  ever  toward  the  Father,  the  Son,  and 
the  Spirit.  How  it  should  make  the  soul  leap  with 
love  for  the  Triune  King;  unto  whose  glory  all 
beings  spiritual  and  things  material  were  primar- 
ily created.  As,  in  the  northern  sky,  the  great 
watch  stars  point  forever  toward  the  pole,  so, 
throughout  all  God's  empire,  the  spiritual  and  ma- 
terial privileges  of  His  children  direct  our  hearts 
forever  toward  the  Infinite  and  Loving  Heart  of 

HIM  WHO  SITTETH  ON  THE  GREAT  WHITE  THRONE. 


INDEX 


A.braham'8  seed  as  sands,  291; 
as    stars,    287-91 

Acknowledgment  and  confes- 
sion of  saints  before  tlie  an- 
gels at  Judgment,   61 

Aesthetic  longing  to  see  veg- 
etable kingdom,  animal  king- 
dom, and  inorganic  nature, 
99-102 

ALL,  THINGS — 
Christ      head      over,      to      the 

Church,   239 
Godliness        profitable         unto, 
which    cannot    mean    eternal 
limitation,    265 
Made   new,   and   saint   inherits 

these   things,   226 
In   earth   and    heaven   working 

for  good   to   believer,   261'-3 
Saints        receive        sovereignty 
over,        because       one       with 
Christ,    253-4 
To    be    included    in    our   future 
enjoyment,    218 

Angel   of   grief,   352 

Angels — 

Can  move  everywhither,    140 
Come  and  go  in  multitude,  139 
Distinctive  names,   57 
Have  far   greater  powers  than 

man,    161-2 
Have  power  of  celestial  flight, 
128;    represented   as   winged, 
131 
Recognition   among,    59 

Angelic  appearances,  beauty 
of,   8 

Animated  nature  throughout 
cosmos,  natural  desire  to  in- 
vestigate, because  proves  infi- 
nite wisdom  and  infinite  will, 
104 

Apostles   in    future    state,    36 

Arguments,  recapitulation,  211- 
14 

Ariadne,    Dannecker's,    11 

Astronomy  God's  commentary 
on   some  promises,   320-1 

Astronomical  Universe,  danger 
from  plain  Scriptural  state- 
ment of  now  familiar  facts 
about;  much  more  about 
man's  universality  of  heritage, 
280-2 

Aurora,    Guide's,    18 

Beauty — • 

Immortals  not  Inferior  to  mor- 
tals   in,     12 
Increasing  desire   for,   in  other 
world,   reason  for  longing  to 
explore  universe,  99-102 


357 


Love    of,    may    be    cultivated, 

3;    should    be,    17 
Love   of,   universal,   2 
Beckford,    Wm.,    16 
Beecher  and   his  children,   80 
Believers   one   with   Christ,   24  3 
Birth,    necessity    of   new,    348 
British    Museum    forever    closed, 

creation    not    a,    216 
Burning    bush,    testimony    from, 

291 
Celestial   beings — 

Different   ranks   of,    37-9 
Insensible    to    cold    and    heat, 

164-5 
Great   celerity   of  motion,    170 
Celestial    flight — 

Angels  have  power  of,    128-141 
Glorified  saints  have  same,  142 
Going   on    forever,    183 
May    reach    any   world,    189 
Objections        answered,        and 
other    points    discussed,    155, 
etc. 
Possible    in    anj'    direction,    to 

any    distance,    185 
Possibility      of,       by      glorified 
soul,    as    Scriptural    as    doc- 
trine     of       immortality      or 
resurrection,    182 
Power    of,    implies   privilege   of 

using   it,   194 
Power  of,  from  world  to  world, 

possessed    by    Jesus,    148 
Scriptural     Incidents     suggest- 
ing   celerity    of,    170-181 
Velocity     of,     accordant     with 
general    principles    of    Scrip- 
ture,  178    How  possible,  177- 
8.         Indicated       by       occur- 
rences   at    resurrection,    177- 
8.     Shown   by   striking  Bibli- 
cal     expressions,       strongest 
ISLnguage  that  could  well   be 
used — "lightning-like,"     179- 
80 
When   given,   if  Adam   had  not 
sinned?     285 
Cicero  and  daughter,  79 
Cherubim. — 

Ezekiel's    vision    of,    symbolic, 

136 
Great    powers     of     vision    pos- 
sessed  by,    158 
and    seraphim,    131-6 
Church     only    beginning    to    un- 
derstand greatness  of  Its  pros- 
pects,   322 
Church    the   bride   of   Christ,    235 
Church's    beholding   and    sharing 
of        Christ's      glory.       implies 
Church   may  be  everywhere  in 
cosmos.   252-3 


858 


INDEX. 


Colour  of   light   differs   in   differ- 
ent  solar  systems,    330-5 
Conditions     on     earth,    innumer- 
able  differences  in,    21 
Christ — 

Able    to     let    us    traverse    his 

empire,    230 
Administers     material      things 

for   the   Church,    240 
Affirms    universality    of    Chris- 
tian's future  heritage,  157-60 
Appoints    unto     us     his    king- 
dom,   257 
At     final     coming    calls     saints 

to   inherit   all    things,    259 
Church    the   body   of   him    that 

fiUeth    all    in    all,     237 
Feeling    toward    us   as    friends, 

228 
Glorified    body.       See    Glorified 

body. 
Has     appointed     unto     us     his 

kingdom,   257 
He  that  overcometh  to  sit  with 
Christ    on    throne    of    univer- 
sal empire,  259-60 
Head,    the    Church    the    mem- 
bers,   236 
Head     over     all      things,      237. 
Over       all      things      to      the 
Church.  239 
Heirs  with,   we   are,   each  saint 
his    brother,    sister,    mother, 
332 
His   love   for   us   like   God's  for 

Him,   231 

Material  and  Intellectual   glory 

shared    by    believers,    which 

implies    their    understanding 

of     physical     universe.     247-8 

One    with    God.    and    believers 

one   with   Christ,   in   spiritual 

life    and    material    interests, 

243-4 

Owns  creation,  and  we  are  his 

family,    232-5 
Physical  body  of,   implies  local 

heaven.   3-4 
Saints  one   with,   hence  receiv- 
ing      sovereignty      over      all 
things,    251-4 
Saints   to   be   where  he   is,    but 

he  is  everywhere,  24  6 
Transfiguration,       Moses       and 

Elijah     at,     52 
Will   administer   cosmos   in   In- 
terest   of   Church,    241-3 
Willingness   to   die   for   us,   im- 
plies   willingness     to     let    us 
traverse  His  empire,   228-30 
See   also   Jesus. 
Conjugal     love     immortal.       This 
belief     of     Browning,     Bunsen, 
Bdwftrds,  83-6. 


Cosmos — 

Man's  strong  desire  to  explore, 
foreshadows       future       prir- 
ilege,    196 
Our     future     inheritance,     223, 

270 
Title    to,    conferred    on    saints, 

223-5 
See     also     Universe,     and     Uni- 
versality   of   Heritage. 
Damon   and  Pythias,   70 
Death    early,     culpable    or    meri- 
torious,  4  3 
Different     degrees     of     glory,     22 
Different  endowments,  men  enter 

heaven   with,   2S-30 
Distance      between      earth      and 
heaven.,  Jesus  traversed 

seven       times,       14  6-8;       many 
saints     thrice     traversed,     144- 
5;     N.     T.     saints     who     thrice 
traversed.    153-5;    O.    T.    saints 
who    thrice    traversed,    151-2 
Dives    and    Lazarus,    50 
Divine  love,   nature  proves,   104-7 
Divine    mind    inexhaustibly    fer- 
tile,   27.      Nature   proves    three 
attributes   of,    104-7 
Eagles    in    Yellowstone    Canyon, 

199 
Earth    and    sun,   wise   way   Bible 
describes      relations      between, 
280-1 
Eden,    future,    not    on    earth,    255 
Enoch's    translation,    142,    285 
Election    vindicated     by     univer- 
sality  of   heritage,    34  3 
Elijah   and    Moses    in    glory,    35 
Elijah,    reappearance,    52,    trans- 
lation,   144 
Enjoyment,    future,    includes    all 

things,    21S-20 
Eternal     punishment     taught     in 

Scripture  339-342 
Eternity  works  for  our  good.  265 
F<amily  of  Christ,  we  are,  232-5 
Father,  our  relations  to,  en- 
sure universality  of  heritage, 
227 
Father    pliinly    declares    purpose 

to    give    us   the   cosmos,   204 
Father's     intention     to     give     us 
cosmos      implied      in      parable, 
205 
Father's     sacrifice     of     Son     rep- 
resented  highest   love   possible, 
203 
Father's    spirit    toward    us   must 

fructify   In   act,   206 
Fidelity    tends    to    increase    pow- 
ers   and    possibilities,    41-2 


INDEX. 


359 


night,    celeitlal— 

Angelic  beings  have  power  of, 

128 
Saints    have   power    of,    142 
Power      of,      from      world      to 
world,     possessed    by    Jesus, 
148 
Flight,       far-ranging,       Ruskln's 

description  of,   187 
Friends,     loss    of,     not     allowed 
to    destroy    our    future    happi- 
ness, 73 
Future  life — 

Ancients  believed   were  differ- 
ent   conditions   in,    34 
Difference     in     human     oppor- 
tunities as  affecting,  29 
Different    measures    of    service 

as  affecting,    32 
Divine    sovereignty    as    affect- 
ing,   30 
Dramatic  possibilities  of,  336 
Members     of      Chrst's     mystic 
body  have  different  offices  in, 
33- 
Moses    and    Elijah,    patriarchs 

and   apostles   In,   25-6 
Not  one  of  eternal  restriction, 

97 
Of    saints,    physical    range    of, 

93 
Spiritual      elements      of,      why 
more    prominent    In    revela- 
tion,   318 
Future     punishment,     different 
degrees  of,    31-2 
Gabriel,    appearances   of,    137 
Galileo's     discovery     of     revolu- 
tion   of   earth   around    sun,    ef- 
fect  of,    280 

God— 

Invisible    things    of,    revealed 

by  universe,  213 
Social,    not    solitary,    48 
Works  of,  commentaries  on  his 
Word,    109 
Godliness      profitable      unto      all 
things.       Cannot     mean     ever- 
lasting   restriction,    266 
Glorification,   in   future,   bellevera 
shall      shine      as      sun — which 
sweeps     through     space,     220- 
223 
Glorified  Body — 

Nothing  more  certainly  reveal- 
ed   about,     than     its     trans- 
cendent    powers    of    motion, 
155 
Of    Christ    could    appear    and 

appear  at  pleasure,   167 
Of  Christ  had  endowments  not 

exhibited   before,   167 
Of   Christ   had   power  of  unre- 
■trUted  flight,    168 


Of  saints,  youth  and  beauty 
of,  10-14;  in  exercise  of  ItB 
supernal  faculties  never 
Impeded  by  adverse  condi- 
tions, 163 
Of   saints  Incapable  of  injury, 

186 
Of   saints  has   powers   superior 

to   our  present   ones,    160-2 
Of  saints,    senses  of,    156-160 
Two   ways   in   which   soul  may 
receive,    150 
Glory     according     to     merit     not 
Inconsistent   with    salvation   by 
grace,     22-4 
Glory,       different       degrees       of, 
suggested  by  analogies  of  uni- 
verse, 24-5 
Glory  of  God,    that  we  may  bet- 
ter understand,   one  reason  for 
desiring    to    explore    his    crea- 
tion 
Grace,    salvation    by,    not    Incon- 
sistent with  glory  according  to 
merit,   22-4 

Heaven — 

A  local,  unquestionably  taught 
In  Scripture,  97 

All  other  loves  In,  subordinate 
to  that  for  Christ,  89 

Angels  can  leave,   192 

Both   a  state  and   a  place,   118 

Beauty  of,  indescribable,  In- 
exhaustible,   18-9 

Beauty   of   landscape  of,    6 
"  "     music    in,    15 

"  "     person    In,    10 

"  "     spirit   in,    14-5 

Capital  of  a  country — the" 
Cosmos,   122-3 

Described  by  figures  Indicating 
communion,   47 

Distinct  Scriptural  statements 
that  various  saints  will  be 
recognized   in,    47-9 

Fountains  and  fruit  in,   8 

Friendship  eternal,  one  funda- 
mental   idea   of,    66 

Future  life  does  not  end  In, 
only  begins,   99 

Gates  of,  swing  both  ways, 
194 

Great  distance  of.  Indicated  by 
Biblical  references,  parables, 
visions,    125-6 

Idea  of  confinement  In  local, 
unsatisfactory,  97 

Life  in,  is  life  of  an  In- 
finite Family,   87 

Likened  to  a  feast,  49 

Location  of,  unimportant,  124, 
317  t 

Men  enter  with  different  en-  ■ 
dowments,   27  i 


360 


INDEX. 


Mutual  acquaintance  in,  natur- 
ally  desired,    46-7 
Not   a   prison,    193 
Palace    of    God-man,    8 
Recognition    in,     foreshadowed 
by    incidents    In    Holy    Writ, 
Dives     and     Lazarus,     reap- 
pearance     of       Moses       and 
Elijah.   50-3 
Sea  and  sky  of,   6-7 
Various    saints    have    left,    191 
Heavens    new,     and    new    earth, 
wherein     dwelleth     righteous- 
ness.    1.     e.,     dwell     righteous 
beings,  266 
Heb.      2;      7-8,      universality      of 
Christian's     heritage     affirmed 
by.      In      unqualified     manner, 
306-9 
Heirs     with     Christ,     each     saint 
his     brother,      sister,      mother, 
232 
Heritage.       See     Universality    of 

Heritage. 
Holiness  alone  not  characteris- 
tic of  future  life,  but  high- 
est development  of  all  facul- 
ties, crowned  with  holiness. 
273 
Holy   Spirit — 

Abiding    eternally,    brings    all 
things    to    remembrance.    267 
Affirms   universality    of    Chris- 
tian's future  heritage 
Teaches        all       things       about 
Christ,    His    possessions,    etc.. 
268-9;    all    things    finite    ca- 
pacity   can    understand.    269- 
70;  what  is  contained  in  em- 
pires of  space  and  eternities 
of    duration.    274 
Attitude   toward    believers.    261 
Has  taught   both  spiritual  and 
physical    truth,    before    time 
of    Christ,    and    since    then, 
271-2 
Immortals       not       inferior      to 

mortals  in  beauty,   12 
Infinity    works    for    our    good, 

265 
Jacob  and  Rachel.  72,   84 
Jesus    not    in    heaven    all    the 

time,    190 
Jesus  has  power  of  flight  from 

world  to  world,   148 
Jesus    physically    perfect,    10 
Jesus     traverses     distance     be- 
tween      earth      and      heaven 
seven   times,   146-8 
See  also  Christ 
Leonidas,    14 
Life,    value    of,    depends    upon 

number  of  its  elements.   26 

Light,  colour  of,   differs  in  dif- 

£»rent   solar  systems   S30-6 


Love — 

All    others    in    heaven    subor- 
dinate to  that  for  Christ,  89 
Between  friend  and  friend  Im- 
mortal,  82 
Between  parent  and  child  im- 
mortal, 77 
Conjugal,    immortal,    belief    of 
Browing,    Bunsen,    Edwards. 
83-6 
Divine,  nature  proves  existence 

of,    104-7 
For  God  has  eternal  power,  73 
Fraternal,   immortal,    80-1 
God's  for  us,  magnified  by  un- 
iversality  of    heritage,    338 
God's   for  us,   springs  from  bis 

own    nature.    338-9 
Healthful   soul's   natural   exer- 
cise, 67 
Many     types    of,     necessary     to 

develop  soul,    68 
Ours  to  remotely  resemble  the 
love       among      the      Sacred 
Three,    91 
Strongest    motive,    highest    In- 
spiration.  70-1 
Unholiness    unfavorable    to,    75 
Loss    of    friends    not    allowed    to 
destroy     happiness     of     saints, 
73 
Lucretius,      argument     to     prove 

space   infinite.   94 
Man,     three    stages    in    develop- 
ment of,    148 
'Many    mansions"    are    the    cos- 
mos,   exegesis    by    Prof.    G.    T. 
Purves.    202 
Our    instruction    in,    must    cover 

God's   works.    211-12 
MateriaH     blessings     to     accom- 
pany  spiritual.   206 
Members    of    Christ's    body,    we 
are,     236;     with     different     of- 
fices   in    future    state,    33 
Michael    Angdlo's    adornment    of 

home,   8 
Ministering   spirits,    184 
Monica  and  St.  Augustine,   78 
Morning  stars,   song  of,  291 
Moses     at     Transfiguration,     52; 
Moses    and     Elijah     in     future 
state,    35 
Motion     of    celestials    "as    light- 
ning," 170,  179-81 
Music,    beauty    of    in    heaven,    15 
Names    of    men    are    known    to 

angels,    63 
Nature     proves    three     attributes 

of  divine  personality,   104-7 
New    Jerusalem     only    a    metro- 
polis.   310 
One     or     two     worlds     only     be- 
ing    known,     beavens    declare 


INDEX. 


361 


less  than  millionth  of  God's 
glory,    216 

Other  worlds,  possibility  of 
visiting,   certain,   184 

Paradise  can  never  be  on 
earth,   121 

Parent  and  child,  love  be- 
tween,   immortal,    77 

Patriarchs   in   future  state,    36 

Paulsen's  view  of  universe,  107 

Personal  Identity  in  other 
world,  otherwise  no  just  re- 
wards or  punishments,  53. 
Retained  by  persons  raised 
from  dead    56 

Personality  divine,  nature 
proves  three  attributes  of, 
104-7 

Physical  range  of  future  life. 
93;  Scripture  highest  au- 
thority about,    116 

Physical  truth  as  well  as 
spiritual,  taught  by  Holy 
Spirit,   270-3 

Piety,  different  degrees  of,  re- 
ceive proportionate  honor 
40-1 

Prophecies,  none  more  un- 
qualified than  those  about 
universality  of   heritage,    314 

Ps.  8,  on  universality  of  heri- 
tage,  293-5 

Punishment  eternal  unmistak- 
ably taught  in  Scripture. 
337-42 

Purves,  Prof.  G.  T.,  on  "many 
mansions,"   209 

Eange  of  future  life.  See 
Physical. 

Ranging  through  universe, 
reasons  why  we  must  desire, 
99 

Raphael,  Transfiguration  by, 
44 

Rapid  filght  of  celestials — "as 
flash    of    lightning,"    170-7 

Recapitulation  of  argument, 
411-314 

Regeneration,  necessity  of,   348 

Recognition  in  other  world. 
Among  angels,  59.  Men 
naturally  desire,  46-7.  Per- 
haps intuitive,  62.  Public, 
of   each   saint,   65 

Recognition  of  Jesus  after 
resurrection,   61 

Reprobation,  doctrine  of,  not 
Scriptural,   345-7 

Resurrection  body.  See  Glori- 
fied body. 

Ruskin's  description  of  far- 
ranging   flight,    187 

St.  Augustine,  78 


Saints — 

Acknowledged     and     confessed 

before  the  angel*,  •! 
Future        happiness       of,       not 

destroyed  by  loss  of  friends, 

73 
Glorified,   have  power  of  celes- 
tial  flight,   142 
Not   winged,    but    live    winged 

life,  172 
One    with    Christ    in    spiritual 

life  and  material  possessions, 

244-5 
One  with    Christ,    as  he   Is  one 

with     God,     hence     receiving 

sovereignty    over    all    things, 

251-4 
"Reign   on    the   earth,"   mean- 
ing of,  254-6 
To  be  with  Christ  where  he  is, 

but   he    is   everywhere,   246 
Salvation    by    grace   consistent 

with       glory      according      to 

merit,  22-4 
Scientific      knowledge,       thirst 

for,   a  reason  for  desiring  to 

explore    universe,    102 
Samuel,     reappearance    of     on 

earth,   51,   175 
Senses  of  glorified  body,  156-60 
Seraphim  and  cherubim,   131-6 
Solar     system,     smallness     of, 

compared       with       universe, 

326-9 
Space     infinite,     argument     of 

Lucretius   to   prove,    94 
Space,   infinitudes  of,  saints  to 

enjoy,    122 
Spirit.     See  Holy. 
Spirit,    beauty    of,    in    heaven, 

14-5 
Spiritual    blessings    to    be    ac- 
companied     with       material 

good,    and   a    share    in   God's 

material   kingdom,   206-7 
Song  of  morning   stars,   291 
Star-light,    time    required    by, 

to  reach  us,    328 
Stars  and  suns  to  be  searched 

then,   as  Scriptures  are  now, 

217 
Stars,   armies  of,  work  for  our 

good,    264 
Sun     apparently     and    actually 

moves    through    space,    222 
Sun,  size  of,  as  compared  with 

that  of  earth,    112 
Supernal     faculties    of    future, 

never  Impeded  in  their  exer- 

ise,   163 
Three    stages    in    development 

of  man,   148 
Transfiguration,     by     Raphael, 

a 


362 


INDEX. 


Transcendent       faculties.         See 

Supernal 
Translation     of     Elijah,     Enoch, 

144 
True,   good,   and  beautiful,   1 
Truth   both    physical    and    spirit- 
ual     taught     by     Holy     Spirit, 

270-3 
Universality   of   Christian's   heri- 
tage— 

Danger  which  must  have  at- 
tended plain  Scriptural 
presentation  of,  283 

Divine  wisdom  in  its  gradual 
disclosure,    283 

Doctrine   of,    inspiring,    34T 

Gives  larger  meaning  to 
Apostles'  Creed,  and  greater 
glory  to  God,   355 

God's  spirit  toward  us,  fore- 
shadows,  202 

Great  comfort  in  bereavement 
and   trial,    851 

Great  encouragement  to  fidel- 
ity in  Christian  duties,   349 

In  harmony  with  other  great 
doctrines  of  Scripture.   447 

Makes  life  optimistic,   350 

Missionary  effort  stimulated 
by,    354 

Not  divine  Intention  should  be 
understood  from  beginning, 
319;  hence  not  more  plainly 
declared  in  O.  T.,  276-7 

Philanthropy  promoted  by, 
353 

Prophecies  of,  interwoven  with 
entire  Bible,   314-5 

Prophecies,  none  more  un- 
qualified given  by  inspira- 
tion than  those  teaching,  314 

Realization  of  its  import,  be- 
yond our  present  compre- 
hension,   324 

Revelation  of  it  postponed, 
like  that  of  length  of  days 
of  creation,  277-9 

Solves       many      mysteries      of 
providence,   353 
Some     Scripture     texts     bearing 

upon — 

I.  Cor.  3;  21-3.  304-5;  13;  12. 
211;  15;  41-2,  305.  II.  Cor. 
4;  14-15,  and  6;  10,  219.  Dan. 
12;  3,  207-aOO.  Eph.  I: 
9-11,  256;  1;  18-23,  237;  4; 
10,  238.  Gal.  4;  7,  288.  Gen. 
23;     17,    287.       Heb.    2;    7-8. 


295,  306-9;  3;  5-6,  232;  11 
14-16,  and  12;  22-3,  28,  123 
John,  14;  2,  209;  17;  22,  247 
Luke  12;  32,  207.  Matt.  13 
43,  221;  25;  34.  224.  II 
Peter,  3;  13.  266.  Ps.  8 
5-6.  293-5,  300-1;  19;  1,  215 
148;  1-2,  and  150;  1,  6,  295-S 
Rom.  1;  20-1,  218;  4;  13 
300-1;  8;  16-17,  28,  262;  8 
82,  204;  8;  38-39,  303.  I 
Thess.  2;  12,  207.  I.  Tim.  4 
8,  265;  6,  17,  219.  Rev.  3,  21. 
257;  21;  7,  226 
Universe — 

Extends  as  far  as  human  ken, 
95 

God's  abode  and  ours  coter- 
minous with,  208 

God's    kingdom,    94 

Not  a  Bible  from  which  may 
read    only   1-2  verses,    217 

Not  a  British  Museum  forever 
closed,   216 

Not  to  be  learned  from  any 
one  standpoint,   115 

To  be  understood,  not  by 
revelation  but  by  research, 
114 

Paulsen's  view   of,   107 

Reveals  the  invisible  things  of 
God,  213 

See  also  Cosmos. 
University     examinations,      Eng- 
lish,   28 
University,      men's      future,      the 

Cosmos;    the   Instructor    Omni- 

scent,    270 
Value     God     sets     on     a     human 

soul,    partly   explained    by    lat- 

ter's     stupendous     possibilities, 

342 
Walking    not    more    natural    her© 

than     flying     will     be     yonder, 

171 
Wings,  many  exhibited  in  visions 

of   celestials,    171 
Worlds,  other — 

Analogy  Indicates  are  wonder- 
ful like  our  own.  110-11 

Are   they   inhabited?      108-9 

Needful  to  study  them,  that 
we  may  better  understand 
Deity,   113 

Possibility  of  visiting.  Is  cer- 
tain, 184 

Yellowstone,  eagles  In  Canyon 
of,   199 


